Trump Says ‘Iran Never Won a War, but Never Lost a Negotiation’

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump took to Twitter to say that despite Iran never winning a war; the Islamic Republic “never lost a negotiation”. He did not elaborate.

The remarks followed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arguments on Monday that Iran did not accept his offer to go to Tehran and address the Iranian people.

"I recently offered to travel to Tehran and speak directly to the Iranian people. The regime hasn't accepted my offer", Pompeo tweeted.

Last week Trump admitted that "it is getting harder for me to make a deal with Iran", he seemed to refer to the new agreement to replace the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA].

Pompeo had pointed out that Trump is interested in talks.

US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook, for his part, argued that Trump is sincere in his overtures to Iran to negotiate a new nuclear agreement. Hook added that Trump would be happy to sit down with Iran's leadership although Tehran has rejected diplomacy on many occasions.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in turn, signaled Tehran's willingness for talks with the US but stressed that Washington should first scrap sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

"We are always ready for negotiation. I tell you this hour and this moment to abandon bullying and lift the sanctions and return to logic and wisdom. We are ready", Rouhani pointed out earlier this month.

He added that Iran had shifted its approach from "strategic patience" to "reciprocal action" and would respond in kind to any of Washington's steps related to the nuclear deal.