President Donald Trump isn't interested in half-measures from Iran. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One while flying from Beijing back to Washington, Trump made it clear that Iran's latest nuclear proposal didn't even make it past the first sentence before he dismissed it as 'unacceptable.' His demand: a 'real 20 years' of zero nuclear activity from Tehran.
When a reporter suggested that 20 years might not be long enough, Trump pushed back, emphasizing that it would be sufficient as long as it's a genuine commitment. 'Real 20 years' was the key phrase—no loopholes, no wiggle room.
On the question of whether Chinese President Xi Jinping had promised to lean on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Trump was blunt: he's not asking for any favors. 'I'm not asking for any favors because when you ask for favors, you have to do favors in return. We don't need favors,' he said. The message was clear—the U.S. can handle this on its own.
Trump touted the effectiveness of the U.S. naval blockade and noted a month-long ceasefire that was initiated at the request of other nations, particularly Pakistan. But he hinted that the pause might not last. 'We may have to do a little cleanup work,' he said, suggesting that the U.S. could resume operations if the ceasefire doesn't hold.
