Trump Insists Iran Will Receive 'Not Ten Cents' During 60-Day Talks
The US president claimed Iran entered negotiations out of desperation, asserted that its military capabilities have been severely weakened by war
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - US President Donald Trump on Friday said Washington will proceed with the 60-day timeline established for ongoing negotiations with Iran, while insisting that Tehran will receive no financial benefits during that period and arguing that the country entered talks from a position of weakness.
In a post published on his official account on X on Friday, Trump rejected suggestions that the United States had sought negotiations out of necessity, claiming instead that Iran had been forced to the table.
“We didn’t meet out of desperation, Iran did. They are FINISHED! We’ll play out the 60 days. They get no money, not ten cents!” Trump wrote.
In an earlier post, Trump argued that the war had dramatically reduced Iran’s military capabilities.
“The War has diminished Iran! It doesn’t, any longer, have an Air Force, a Navy, Antiaircraft Equipment, Radar, or practically anything else,” Trump stated.
He also criticized domestic political opponents, dismissing claims that Iran was in a stronger position than it had been several months ago.
Comments come as Lebanon ceasefire enters implementation phase
Trump’s remarks came shortly after reports emerged that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah had entered into force in Lebanon.
Reuters reported on Friday, citing a senior US official, that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to halt hostilities in Lebanon, with the ceasefire scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. local time.
According to the official, US and Qatari mediators, with assistance from Iran, helped finalize the agreement. The source said that following exchanges of fire earlier on Friday, both sides entered the ceasefire phase.
The development followed a deadly escalation in southern Lebanon. According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, Israeli airstrikes targeting more than 10 villages in southern Lebanon from Thursday night into Friday morning killed 18 people and wounded 33 others.
The Lebanese file has become one of the most sensitive issues connected to the broader diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei accused the United States of bearing direct responsibility for Israeli attacks on Lebanon and warned that continued military operations could further destabilize the region.
At the same time, Lebanon has emerged as a major point of discussion in the fragile negotiations between the United States and Iran. Tehran has repeatedly emphasized the importance of including Lebanon within any broader regional understanding, while concerns had grown in Washington that continued Israeli military operations could undermine diplomatic progress.
Trump’s latest comments underscore the contrasting pressures surrounding the negotiations: while regional ceasefire efforts appear to be advancing, the US president continues to adopt a hardline public stance toward Tehran, insisting that any future agreement will not involve immediate financial concessions to Iran.