Trump: US Pursuing Economic Pressure on Iran Instead of New Strikes; Says Talks Will Succeed

US President Donald Trump said in a phone interview with Axios on Sunday, 18 Mordad 1405 (August 9, 2026), that his administration is currently pursuing increased economic pressure and sanctions on Iran rather than a new military strike. According to Mehr News Agency, Trump said, "We are handling this calmly. We have limited talks with them, and we are simply watching Iran's situation given its severe inflation and shortage of financial resources." He added that Iran lacks even the funds to pay its military salaries, and on the talks with Tehran said, "These negotiations will succeed. They always do."

In a similar interview with Israel's Channel 12, Trump said broad military action is on hold for now, a reversal from a week earlier when he had been close to ordering renewed strikes on Iranian targets. Al Jazeera's live coverage of the US Israel war on Iran reported the same day that Trump said the US would wait for economic pressure to mount on Iran, with Washington relying on sanctions and a naval blockade to that end. US Vice President JD Vance told Fox News on Saturday, 17 Mordad, that Washington is using "a full range of diplomatic, economic and military tools" on the issue.