Speaking at a White House cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the US president said he was unsatisfied with Tehran's offers and in no rush, even as the White House dismissed an Iranian state television report of a draft agreement as a "complete fabrication".
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was not yet satisfied with Iran's offers to make a deal — otherwise the US will "have to finish the job" — after Iranian state-run television reported details of what it claimed was a draft agreement.
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Speaking at a cabinet meeting in the White House, Trump added that he was in no rush to reach an accord to end the Iran war, despite saying at the weekend that one was close.
"Iran is very much intent, they want very much to make a deal. So far they haven't gotten there. We're not satisfied with it, but we will be," Trump said.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) earlier responded to threats to resume the military operations that the US and Israel launched on 28 February and paused in April by stating it would turn its coast into a "graveyard for the aggressors".
Trump was however adamant that the Iranians were "negotiating on fumes".
Iranian state-run television said earlier Wednesday that a draft outline of a memorandum of understanding with Washington included a commitment to lift the naval blockade on Iran, restore traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and withdraw US forces from the Gulf.
The White House called the report a "complete fabrication".
'Blow them up'
Trump said that "nobody" including Tehran would control the Strait of Hormuz and rejected reports that Iran and the Gulf state of Oman could control a toll system for the waterway.
The US leader, who turns 80 next month, even said that "Oman will behave just like everybody else or we will have to blow them up," in a comment that was apparently meant to be directed at Iran.
Trump then suggested that an Iran deal may be contingent on his push for Saudi Arabia and other countries to sign the Abraham Accords normalising ties with Israel.
“I'm not sure we should make the deal if they don't sign," Trump said.
Trump has repeatedly said that he launched the Iran war to stop Tehran from getting a nuclear weapon.
He appeared to confirm reports that the deal under discussion could push the issue of Iran's enriched uranium stocks until later, while opening the Strait of Hormuz, which is crucial for oil traffic.
"Well, I would for some of it," Trump said when asked whether he would accept a deal for now that just calls for further talks on the uranium. "Because it's a memorandum of understanding for speed."
Trump also said he would not be comfortable with Russia or China taking Iran's uranium, another solution that has been suggested.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sitting next to Trump, said there had been "some progress and some interest" in the talks with Iran.
"We'll see over the next few hours and days whether progress can be made," said Rubio.