The White House Warns That All Options Are on the Table Ahead of Iran-U.S. Talks

One day before the meeting of representatives from Iran and the U.S. in Oman, the White House spokesperson warned that the Islamic Republic of Iran must either agree to Donald Trump's demands or face a "heavy cost." The U.S. Energy Secretary, who is visiting Abu Dhabi, stated that the U.S. government has the capability to stop Iran's oil exports, just as Trump did during his first term. Caroline Levitt, the White House spokesperson, emphasized on Friday, April 22, that Trump's "ultimate goal" is to ensure that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons, adding: "All options are on the table, and Iran must decide; either you agree to Trump's demands or you will pay a heavy price." According to Levitt, Trump has "clearly communicated this to the Iranians and his national security team and firmly believes it." This warning from the White House comes as the Wall Street Journal reported, ahead of the Saturday meeting in Oman, that the U.S. is "prepared to reach some form of compromise." In recent days, as the representatives of Iran and the U.S. prepare to meet in Oman to negotiate Iran's nuclear program, comments from both sides regarding the format of the meeting and its process and outcome have intensified. The U.S. claims that this negotiation, in which Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, and Steve Witikoff, the U.S. Special Representative for Middle Eastern Affairs, are set to discuss, is "direct," while Iranian officials insist that the talks are being held "indirectly." In the latest news from the Iranian side, the Axios website reported that Iran intends to propose working on a "temporary nuclear agreement" before discussions for a comprehensive agreement in the negotiations on April 23. Axios, citing a "European diplomat" and an "informed source," wrote: "The Iranians believe that reaching a complex and highly technical nuclear agreement within two months is unrealistic and want more time to prevent escalation." This is significant because reports indicate that the U.S. President had given Iran a "two-month deadline" in his letter to Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, to reach a new nuclear agreement. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, in Abu Dhabi, stated that the U.S. government has the capability to stop Iran's oil exports, just as Trump did during his first term. Wright emphasized that Washington is determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons by intensifying sanctions. He did not provide technical details regarding the potential use of military options or directly stopping Iranian oil tankers at sea but stressed that "all options are on the table" and the U.S. has the full capacity to increase pressure. The U.S. imposed new sanctions on Thursday, ahead of these negotiations, against Iran's oil trade network, including a crude oil storage terminal in China. Donald Trump has stated that if these negotiations fail, Iran will face significant danger. The U.S. Energy Secretary also noted that "all problems in the Middle East stem from the Islamic Republic of Iran" and added that U.S. allies in the Gulf region are "deeply concerned about a nuclear-capable Iran." Trump has revived the "maximum pressure" policy against the Islamic Republic to completely stop Iran's oil exports, believing that the revenues from oil sales are used to finance destabilizing activities in the region, including support for militia groups and nuclear and missile programs. Currently, China is the largest importer of Iranian oil, and China and Iran have established a trade system that primarily uses the Chinese yuan and a network of intermediaries to avoid transactions in dollars and exposure to U.S. oversight.