Trump ‘curious’ about Iran’s defiance amid U.S. army buildup, Witkoff says

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U.S. President Donald Trump is interested in why Iran has not but "capitulated" and agreed to curb its nuclear program, as Washington builds up its army functionality within the Center East, Trump's particular envoy, Steve Witkoff, mentioned.

"I do not need to use the phrase 'pissed off,' as a result of he understands he has loads of options, however he is curious as to why they have not ... I do not need to use the phrase 'capitulated,' however why they have not capitulated," Witkoff mentioned in an interview on Fox Information on Saturday.

"Why, underneath this stress, with the quantity of sea energy and naval energy over there, why have not they arrive to us and mentioned, 'We profess we do not desire a weapon, so here is what we're ready to do'? And but it is kind of arduous to get them to that place."

Trump has ordered an enormous buildup of forces within the Center East and preparations for a possible multi-week air assault on Iran. Iran has threatened to strike U.S. bases whether it is attacked.

The US needs Iran to surrender enriched uranium, which Washington says can doubtlessly be used to make a bomb, in addition to cease supporting militants within the Center East and settle for limits to its missile program.

WATCH | Trump threatens Iran: Trump warns Tehran to take deal as Iran, Russia maintain joint naval workout routines

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned Iran to comply with a nuclear deal inside 15 days 'or it will be unlucky for them,' whereas Iran and its ally Russia maintain joint naval workout routines within the area. Tehran says its nuclear program is peaceable, however it's keen to simply accept some curbs on it in return for the lifting of economic sanctions. It rejects tying this to different points, akin to missiles and assist for armed teams.

"They have been enriching properly past the quantity that you simply want for civil nuclear. It is as much as 60 per per cent [fissile purity]," Witkoff mentioned. "They're in all probability per week away from having industrial, industrial-grade bomb-making materials, and that is actually harmful."

A senior Iranian official informed Reuters on Sunday that Iran and the US nonetheless have differing views over sanctions reduction in talks.

Witkoff additionally mentioned he has met at Trump's path with Iranian opposition determine Reza Pahlavi, son of the shah ousted in Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. He didn't present additional particulars of the assembly.

Pahlavi, who lives in exile, served as a rallying determine for a few of Iran's opposition throughout anti-government demonstrations final month during which 1000's of persons are believed to have been killed, the worst home unrest because the revolution period.

Earlier in February, Pahlavi mentioned U.S. army intervention in Iran might save lives, and he urged Washington to not spend too lengthy negotiating with Tehran's clerical rulers on a nuclear deal.

Iranian college students start new time period with protests In the meantime, college students held protests at a number of Iranian universities at first of a brand new semester on Saturday, some clashing with pro-government teams, in response to native information companies and posts on social media.

The protests coincided with ceremonies historically held after 40 days to mourn these killed by safety forces throughout final month's anti-government demonstrations, which noticed 1000's lose their lives within the worst home unrest since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.

A video purportedly confirmed rows of marchers at Tehran's Sharif College of Know-how condemning Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a "murderous chief" and calling for Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's toppled shah, to be a brand new monarch.

<img loading="lazy" alt="An anti-U.S. mural on a building in Tehran, Iran" srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/884f8535-33e7-413e-9c2e-6fff41a839ba,1771766651248/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5472%2C3648%29%3BResize%3D796 796w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/884f8535-33e7-413e-9c2e-6fff41a839ba,1771766651248/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5472%2C3648%29%3BResize%3D1083 1083w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/884f8535-33e7-413e-9c2e-6fff41a839ba,1771766651248/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5472%2C3648%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) calc(100vw - 32px),730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/884f8535-33e7-413e-9c2e-6fff41a839ba,1771766651248/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5472%2C3648%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.5" data-cy="image-img"/> An anti-U.S. mural is proven on a constructing in Tehran on Jan. 24. Anti-government demonstrations in Iran in January noticed 1000's of individuals lose their lives within the worst home unrest because the nation's 1979 Islamic Revolution. (Majid Asgaripour/West Asia Information Company/Reuters) State-affiliated information companies akin to SNN carried movies of clashes, with protesters allegedly injuring volunteer scholar Basij militia by throwing rocks at Iran's high engineering college. Professional-government Basij members typically help safety forces in quelling protests.

Protests have been additionally held in Beheshti and Amir Kabir universities within the capital Tehran, in addition to Mashhad College within the northeast, in response to movies printed by rights group HAALVSH, which Reuters couldn't confirm.

Within the western city of Abdanan, a scorching spot for protests, demonstrators chanted "Loss of life to Khamenei" and "Loss of life to the dictator" after the arrest of an activist trainer, in response to rights group Hengaw and social media posts.