Trump says Iran survives only to ‘Negotiate,’ accuses Tehran of using global waterways for short-term extortion

US President Donald Trump has said on Truth Social that Iran “doesn’t seem to realize they have no cards, other than a short‑term extortion of the world by using international waterways,” in a combative statement issued on 10 April 2026 as Washington prepares for high‑stakes Iran talks in Islamabad. Trump added that the “only reason they are alive today is to negotiate,” underlining his hard‑line stance on Tehran’s leverage in the ongoing crisis. The comments come amid a fragile US‑Iran‑linked ceasefire and ahead of negotiations between senior US and Iranian delegations hosted by Pakistan this weekend.

Trump’s remarks, captured in public remarks and social‑media‑linked statements verified by open‑source media outlets on 10 April, focus sharply on the Strait of Hormuz, which the US has repeatedly demanded Iran allow to reopen fully to global shipping. The US president has accused Iran of doing a “very poor job” of letting oil tankers pass through the chokepoint and has warned Tehran against trying to impose any toll or conditional access regime on vessels.

Reports shows that Trump is framing the current round of talks as a final chance for Iran to accept a US‑led framework that includes nuclear‑related demands, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and broader regional security arrangements. At the same time, the US administration continues to keep military options and economic pressure on the table, even as Vice President JD Vance prepares to lead the American negotiating team to Islamabad. The tone of Trump’s comments on 10 April suggests that Washington expects Iran to come to the table with far‑reaching concessions, treating Tehran’s continued existence in the current talks as a conditional outcome of US‑driven diplomacy rather than a sign of Iranian strength.

Key highlights

• Trump: Iran has no real cards.

• Strait of Hormuz central to talks.

• Iran only “alive” to negotiate.

• US demands free oil flow.

• Vance to lead Islamabad delegation.