U.S. Particular Envoy Steve Witkoff. File
| Picture Credit score: Reuters
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff mentioned on Saturday (February 21, 2026) that President Donald Trump is questioning why Iran has not “capitulated” within the face of Washington’s navy build-up aimed toward pressuring them right into a nuclear deal.
America and Iran this week resumed Oman-mediated talks in Geneva aimed toward averting the potential of navy motion, after Washington dispatched two plane carriers, jets and weaponry to the area to again its warnings.
In a Fox Information interview with Mr. Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara, Mr. Witkoff mentioned the President was “curious” about Iran’s place after he had warned them of extreme penalties within the occasion they didn’t strike a deal.
“I do not wish to use the phrase ‘pissed off,’ as a result of he understands he has loads of alternate options, however he is curious as to why they have not. I do not wish to use the phrase ‘capitulated,’ however why they have not capitulated,” he mentioned.
“Why, beneath this strain, with the quantity of seapower and naval energy over there, why have not they arrive to us and mentioned, ‘We profess we do not need a weapon, so this is what we’re ready to do’? And but it is kind of laborious to get them to that place.”
The U.S. envoy additionally confirmed within the interview that he had met with Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s final shah and a critic of the present authorities, who has not returned to the nation since earlier than the 1979 Islamic Revolution that ousted the monarchy.
“I met him on the path of the president,” Mr. Witkoff mentioned, with out offering additional particulars. “I feel he is sturdy for his nation, cares about his nation. However that is going to be about President Trump’s insurance policies.”
U.S.-based Mr. Pahlavi final week advised a crowd in Munich that he was prepared to guide the nation to a “secular democratic future” after Mr. Trump mentioned regime change could be finest for the nation.
Mr. Witkoff’s feedback come after Iranian Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi mentioned a draft proposal for an settlement with Washington could be prepared in a matter of days.
Mr. Trump mentioned on Thursday (February 19, 2026) that Iran had at most 15 days to make a deal on considerations beginning with its nuclear programme. As talks between the 2 nations continued in Geneva, Iran’s supreme chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday mentioned that Trump wouldn’t achieve destroying the Islamic republic.
Western international locations accuse the Islamic Republic of looking for to accumulate nuclear weapons, which Tehran denies, although it insists on its proper to enrichment for civilian functions.
Iran, for its half, is looking for to barter an finish to sanctions which have confirmed to be an enormous drag on its economic system, which performed a job in sparking anti-government protests in December.
Printed – February 22, 2026 10:36 pm IST