US President Donald Trump said Friday he still believes Iran was not ready to make "the right deal" with Washington as tightening economic measures have been deployed against Tehran.
"They would love to make a deal, but they're not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion," Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One for a trip to the state of South Carolina to attend a rally.
Denying that the escalation of economic measures meant military options available to the US were limited, Trump said Washington intended to see "what happens" in terms of their effect on the already-strained Iranian economy after nearly six months of war with the US.
"They have no money, they have no navy, they have no air force, they are not paying their soldiers, they're not paying their police. They have 350% inflation," Trump said in claims about Iran's economic and military conditions.
He also suggested that the US maintains "complete control" of the region surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, including the crucial waterway and its surrounding land area in southern Iran.
Despite the US president's remarks, traffic through the Hormuz Strait remains well below prewar levels because of continued security risks and frequent attacks on commercial vessels traversing regional waters.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported Friday that traffic through the strait stood about 90% below prewar levels.
Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding in June, calling for a cessation of hostilities and the restoration of shipping through the strait. But the deal later fell through amid chronic disputes over the terms of its implementation and the future of navigation through the waterway.
The conflict began in late February with a surprise US-Israeli attack on Iran. Tehran responded by striking targets in Israel and US military bases in the region.
