US President Donald Trump is reportedly questioning why Iran has not surrendered under mounting pressure from Washington’s growing military presence in the Middle East, according to his special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Speaking to Fox News on Saturday, Witkoff said Trump is “curious” about Tehran’s stance after previously warning that the US could launch a limited military strike if negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme fail. The US and its European partners believe Iran may be edging closer to developing a nuclear weapon — an accusation Tehran strongly denies.
Witkoff avoided describing Trump as “frustrated,” but suggested the president is puzzled that Iran has not backed down despite the significant American naval and military build-up in the region. He questioned why, under such pressure, Iran has not come forward with firm assurances that it does not intend to pursue nuclear weapons and outlined what it is prepared to concede. Iran has not publicly responded to the envoy’s comments.
Earlier in the week, US and Iranian officials engaged in indirect discussions in Switzerland aimed at limiting Tehran’s nuclear activities, with both sides indicating some progress. However, shortly after, Trump stated that the world would know within about 10 days whether an agreement would be reached or whether military action would follow.
Meanwhile, the US has significantly increased its military footprint near Iran. Deployments reportedly include the USS Gerald R Ford, the world’s largest warship, as well as the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, destroyers, combat vessels and fighter jets.
Inside Iran, large-scale anti-government protests erupted across several universities over the weekend — the biggest demonstrations since January’s violent crackdown. Verified footage showed students marching at Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, where clashes later broke out between protesters and government supporters. Similar gatherings were reported at other universities, with students commemorating thousands said to have been killed in recent unrest.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (Hrana) claims at least 7,015 people were killed during the crackdown, including 6,508 protesters, 226 children and 214 government-affiliated individuals, with thousands more deaths under investigation. Iranian authorities, however, have reported over 3,100 deaths, stating that most victims were security forces or civilians targeted by what they describe as rioters.
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