U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday (August 21, 2026) he thought Tehran was not ready to make the “right deal” and that Washington was observing “what happens” in the Iran war.

“We have total control of that entire region having to do with the Strait of Hormuz, and that means well into it, the land areas. So, they would love to make a deal, but they’re not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion,” said Mr. Trump.

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Addressing a rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Mr. Trump said, “We cannot let them have a nuclear weapon; we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon, or you will see some very bad things.”

“We went down, and we stopped them; they will never have a nuclear weapon,” he added.

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Mr. Trump said Iran wanted to reach an agreement but questioned whether Washington would accept a deal, asserting control over the strategic waterway.

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