Trump downplays concerns over rising oil prices amid reports that talks may be faltering….reports Asian Lite News Desk
US President Donald Trump has said he is unconcerned about reports that Iran may halt negotiations with Washington, arguing that Tehran has dragged out the talks and insisting that stopping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains his overriding objective.
Speaking in a phone interview with CNBC’s senior Washington correspondent Eamon Javers, Trump dismissed suggestions that a collapse in negotiations would significantly alter his approach, even as energy markets reacted sharply to reports that Iran was unwilling to continue discussions.
“I don’t care if they’re over, honestly. I really don’t care. I couldn’t care less,” Trump said when asked whether the negotiations had ended.
“If they’re over, they’re over. If they’re not, you know, I think they took too much time,” he added. “Frankly, I thought they started to get very boring.”
Trump accused Iran of deliberately prolonging the negotiations.
“It took too long. I thought they were tapping us along that’s all,” he said. When asked whether he believed Tehran had been stalling, Trump replied: “Yeah. I thought that, yeah, I did.”
The comments came as oil prices climbed following reports that diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran could be breaking down. Despite concerns that renewed tensions could disrupt global energy supplies, Trump said he was not worried about rising fuel costs.
“No, I don’t worry about that, no,” he said when asked about higher oil prices.
The President predicted that oil prices would soon fall, pointing to what he described as large volumes of oil already moving through global markets.
“I think the oil will be dropping like a rock in the very near distance,” Trump said. “You have 1,700 boats right now that are loaded up with oil, and that’s going to be like an oil gusher.”
Trump also rejected suggestions that key shipping routes remained heavily disrupted, saying maritime traffic was continuing despite regional tensions.
“The strait is already open,” he said. “Many boats have gone out of there over the last week.”
He further claimed that Iran was suffering significant economic losses as a result of the situation.
“As far as I’m concerned, they can continue to lose $500 million a day, which is what they lose because of the blockade,” Trump said.
The President linked the diplomatic deadlock to wider instability in the Middle East, including fighting involving Israel. Asked whether he had discussed developments with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said: “No, but I’m going to ask him what’s going on with Lebanon.”
Throughout the interview, Trump repeatedly stressed that preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon was his primary concern.
“The thing I care about most at this point in life is that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
He then issued a stark warning to Tehran, saying: “And if they want to try and have a new nuclear weapon, I will blow them up to kingdom come.”
Trump argued that Americans would accept higher fuel prices if they understood the stakes involved.
“Once you explain that this is all about Iran having a nuclear weapon, people are willing to pay a little bit more,” he said, adding that petrol prices would decline once the crisis was resolved.
He also suggested that European allies should take on a greater role in protecting regional shipping routes, arguing that Europe relies more heavily on energy supplies from the region than the United States.
