Trump Cancels Iran Envoys' Trip Amid Stalled Nuclear Negotiations

President Donald Trump admitted during a Friday press gaggle that negotiations with Iran were not going well, stating the talks were disjointed due to confusion among Iranian leaders. Trump cancelled a planned April 25 trip for Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, explaining the visit would not be worth the effort given the lack of progress.

Trump was asked about the progress of negotiations during a question-and-answer session with reporters as he was walking to Marine One.

"Now we’ve been dealing with Iran. They want to make a deal, they’re not there, they’re not," Trump said. "They’re not able to get along with each other as leaders, they don’t know who the leader is.

Their military’s been defeated. If we left right now it would take them 20 years to build back that country. But we’re not satisfied at this moment," Trump said. " Trump imposed a blockade of Iran on April 12.

Iran imposed a toll on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iran declared it would allow passage of 12 ships per day that paid a $1 per barrel toll in either Chinese yuan or cryptocurrency on April 9. Iran announced that it had laid mines on April 9.

On April 21, Trump said the blockade and ceasefire would continue as the expiration of the latter neared. U.S. launched strikes because American casualties could have occurred due to an Iranian response to Israel’s planned attack.

Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent resigned in March over the conflict. " The New York Times reported on April 7 that Trump was convinced to launch strikes against Iran by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during Netanyahu’s Feb. 11 visit to the White House.