US President Donald Trump has made serious claims about Iran's economic situation and the protests continuing in the country. He said Iran is experiencing severe inflation and that its economy is falling apart. Trump repeated his stance against Iran during an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday. He accused the Iranian government of mistreating its own people and of killing large numbers of protesters.
On the question of resuming talks with Iran, Trump said he has not set any timeline for it. He said he is not in a hurry, and there is no fixed schedule for when talks might begin. Trump said the United States is achieving a very big win in this matter. He then went on to refer to Iran's economic situation.
He claimed that Iran is experiencing severe inflation and that its economy is continuously deteriorating. Trump also accused the Iranian government of taking action against protesters.
Trump said Iran is treating its own people very badly. He alleged that many protesters are being killed there. Trump said he has no timeline for restarting talks with Iran, adding that he will not rush the matter.
Trump's statement comes at a time when the war between the United States and Iran, which began on 28th February, is nearing six months. Trump had initially downplayed the likelihood of the conflict dragging on, at one point saying the war could end within four to six weeks. He now says he is not bound to any fixed timeline for resuming talks with Iran.
In June, the United States and Iran had reached a 60-day memorandum of understanding. It covered issues such as passage through the Strait of Hormuz, lifting sanctions on Iran, and starting talks related to Iran's nuclear programme. This agreement lapsed earlier this month.
Since then, uncertainty has persisted over efforts to reduce tensions between the two countries. Trump's latest remarks also indicate that the US administration is currently in no hurry over talks.
The United States further stepped up economic pressure on Iran on Monday. The American administration imposed new sanctions on 60 entities from various countries doing business with Iran. The campaign has been named "Operation Economic Outcast". US officials have described it as a major move to pressure Iran's economy. Trump has previously made several tough statements about Iran's economy, and he has now also declined to set any timeline for talks.