White House says no US-Iran negotiations underway

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that the US and Iran are not currently engaged in negotiations, Anadolu reports.

“No negotiations are happening right now and this will continue until the president feels that maybe they come to the table in a meaningful way. We have not seen that yet,” Leavitt told Fox News.

She said the US is instead focused on increasing economic pressure on Iran through an initiative the White House has named “Operation Economic Outcast.” Leavitt also said President Donald Trump “continues to retain all options on the table.”

“We’ve had Operation Epic Fury to destroy their military. Now we have Operation Economic Outcast to destroy their economy,” Leavitt added.

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“The United States is essentially controlling the Strait of Hormuz, which remains open thanks to President Trump and the United States military.”

The US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in June following mediation by Pakistan and Qatar, but its implementation has stalled amid differences over the Strait of Hormuz.

The US resumed military attacks on Iran last month, with Tehran responding by striking US military assets in Arab countries aligned with Washington.

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