Negotiations halted, pressure rising: Donald Trump's new strategy regarding Iran

US President Donald Trump has ordered his administration's senior envoys to halt talks with Iran at this stage. The White House is simultaneously signaling a change in strategy toward Tehran, as reported yesterday, Tuesday, by CNN.

According to the report, the directive was given to the negotiating team, which includes Vice President J.D. Vance and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. At the same time, sources in the White House told political allies that the administration is shifting from an approach of "striking Iran as soon as possible" to an approach of "strangling" it over time through sustained economic, political, and military pressure.

The change comes after weeks in which Donald Trump claimed that talks with Iran were progressing and that a new deal might be near. However, yesterday he announced:

"There are no talks or contacts taking place or planned with the Islamic Republic of Iran."

He added that the naval blockade remains in effect. It was further claimed that, according to American sources, Donald Trump is dissatisfied with Tehran's unwillingness to meet his demands and wishes to wait until the Iranian leadership signals a willingness to move toward a deal on the terms set by Washington.

Concurrently, the report stated that the US is expected to impose heavy new sanctions on Iran soon, possibly as early as this week. The administration believes that sustained economic pressure, along with the blockade and military presence in the region, may eventually lead Tehran to agree to the American terms for ending the war.

Additionally, Donald Trump is dissatisfied with the outline that Iran is trying to promote with Oman regarding the management of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, partly due to the possibility of collecting fees from vessels. The White House seeks to restore the strait to the status that existed before the war: free passage without Iranian control over the route.