US Officials Declare Donald Trump Holds 'All the Cards' Amid New Iran Negotiations

US President Donald Trump is currently maintaining a strong negotiating position in ongoing discussions with Iran, a White House official revealed to The National on Tuesday. The update follows the President's announcement that fresh negotiations have successfully taken place.

The revelation that Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff held discussions with an Iranian delegation at the UN came as a surprise. No official talks had been publicly reported since July, when an interim peace roadmap collapsed. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott stated that the administration is continuously increasing pressure through the Treasury Department's Economic Outcast campaign and ongoing US military operations targeting Iranian oil shipments.

"The President holds all of the cards here, and is continuing to ramp up the pressure," Mr Pigott said. He emphasized that the administration's strategic policies are generating tangible results, leaving the Iranian regime with an unambiguous choice.

Previously, Mr Trump warned that he would "annihilate" Iran if a definitive deal is not reached, suggesting a breakthrough might follow the US midterm elections on November 3. He noted that the US and Iranian delegations engaged in a three-hour dialogue. Mr Pigott reaffirmed that while Mr Trump consistently favors a diplomatic resolution, he remains resolute in preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

According to Mr Witkoff, the recent talks with the Iranian delegation were facilitated through mediators. "They successfully completed a round of discussions that we hope will prove constructive and promising. The mediators will continue their work," he explained.

Alongside the enforcement of oil shipment blockades, the US military has successfully reopened the Strait of Hormuz to a significant degree, effectively diminishing Iran's primary leverage in the ongoing conflict, Mr Pigott noted. Prior to the conflict, approximately 20 million barrels of oil passed through the waterway daily. Operations have currently recovered to roughly 60 to 70 per cent of pre-conflict levels.

Initiated by Mr Trump alongside Israel on February 28 with expectations of a swift resolution lasting only a few weeks, the conflict has now persisted for nearly seven months. The military campaign remains deeply unpopular domestically, compounded by rising food and fuel prices driven primarily by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Tuesday's discussions unfold amid growing regional complexities. The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen recently seized expansive territories, including Mokha and Perim Island, through a rapid offensive that threatens maritime traffic in the Bab Al Mandeb strait. The State Department has cautioned that the situation risks a rapid escalation.

Despite Houthi missile attacks targeting Riyadh and subsequent appeals from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for direct US intervention, Washington has thus far refrained from military escalation. Mr Pigott emphasized that the US maintains continuous communication and close cooperation with its Saudi partners, stating that Washington remains fully committed to fulfilling all obligations to Saudi Arabia.

During his address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Mr Trump highlighted developments in Gaza and the efforts of his Board of Peace in halting hostilities. "Hundreds of thousands of lives have been saved because of that peace plan," Mr Pigott asserted, noting ongoing humanitarian assistance deliveries into Gaza. Conversely, French President Emmanuel Macron asserted during his final General Assembly address that no humanitarian corridors have successfully been reopened into Gaza despite proclaimed agreements.

The Board of Peace is scheduled to convene in New York on Wednesday to advocate for the complete implementation of the Gaza peace plan. A statement issued by the board—chaired by Mr Trump—urged all participating parties to honor their commitments and avoid actions that might jeopardize the ceasefire or reignite the conflict.

Meanwhile, Britain announced plans earlier this month to enact sanctions against businesses connected to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Addressing the measure, Mr Pigott reiterated the administration's firm stance against criminal and violent activities in the West Bank, noting a consistent rejection of actions that promote regional destabilisation.