President Donald Trump said on Friday he believed Iran was not ready to agree to the terms Washington would consider acceptable and described U.S. forces as observing developments in the conflict. Asked whether U.S. military options were limited with Iran, the president responded:
"It just means that were seeing what happens."
In parallel with the presidents comments, the administration has signaled a financial escalation. Washington pledged this week to impose what it called the toughest financial penalties in history, with the stated objective of toppling the Iranian leadership. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told officials he would provide further details on Monday about the planned sanctions after the president warned of economic consequences for any country that offered "any type of lifeline to Iran."
Trump framed U.S. posture in the region in territorial and strategic terms, saying:
"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 theyre not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion."
Before the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, the Strait of Hormuz accounted for roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. As the conflict approaches the six-month mark, interruptions to energy flows through the strait have continued. According to available assessments, Iran has retained enough missile and drone capability to disrupt oil tanker traffic in the waterway.
The conflicts opening exchanges included Tehrans strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host U.S. bases. Subsequent U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli strikes on Lebanon have resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions of people.
Officials in Washington have emphasized pressure through financial measures while signaling readiness to respond to evolving threats. Treasury briefings on Monday are expected to outline specific elements of the sanctions package, following the presidents public comments about punishing nations that help Iran economically.
Sectors affected: Energy markets, particularly oil and LNG shipping through the Strait of Hormuz; financial sector exposure to sanctions; defense and security-related industries due to regional military activity.