Trump Puzzled as Iran Refuses to Capitulate
Trump ramps up Middle East military buildup as Iran nuclear talks continue. A 10-day deadline looms amid rising regional tensions.
US President Donald Trump is questioning why Iran has not yet "surrendered" to Washington's military buildup in the Middle East, US President's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has said.
Witkoff told on Saturday that Trump was "curious" about Iran's position, as he had threatened a limited military strike if a deal was not reached on Tehran's nuclear program.
The US and its European allies suspect Iran is moving toward developing nuclear weapons, which it denies.
Inside Iran, anti-government protests took place at several universities over the weekend – the first such large-scale rallies since authorities launched a deadly crackdown in January that killed thousands.
itkoff said: "I don't want to use the word 'frustrated'... because he [Trump] understands he has a lot of options, but he wants to know why they didn't... I don't want to use the word 'capitulated,' but why they didn't."
"Why, under this kind of pressure, with all the sea power and naval power we have there, why didn't they come to us and say, 'We say we don't want any weapons, so we're ready to do this?'"
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that he believes there's still a chance the dispute can be resolved diplomatically based on a "win-win game." He said negotiators are working on elements of a deal.
In separate comments two days ago, Araghchi said Tehran was preparing a "draft of a possible agreement" and would submit it to Witkoff in the next few days.
US and Iranian officials discussed Iran's nuclear program in indirect talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 17. They later stated that progress had been made.
Oman, which mediated the negotiations, announced on Sunday that the next round of talks is now "scheduled for this Thursday in Geneva."
In a post on X, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi also expressed hope that there would be "a positive effort to make additional efforts toward finalizing a deal."
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Despite the reported progress in Geneva, Trump said on Thursday that the world would know "in the next, probably, 10 days" whether a deal with Iran would be reached or the US would take military action.
In recent weeks, the US has been increasing its military presence near Iran and in the wider Middle East region.
This deployment includes the world's largest warship, the USS Gerald R. Ford, which is seen moving toward the region.
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier has also been deployed, along with destroyers, combat ships, and fighter jets.
In Iran, verified footage emerged on Saturday of protesters marching on the campus of Sharif University of Technology in the capital, Tehran. They were later seen scuffling with government supporters.
Protests were also reported in Tehran and elsewhere.
Iranian media reported that protests also took place on Sunday at the Iran University of Science and Technology and Khajeh Nasser Toosi University in Tehran, and at Ferdowsi University in Mashhad, northeastern Iran.
Anti-government protesters are raising the Lion and Sun flag at Sharif University – a symbol of Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. People in the crowd are chanting "Javid Shah" ("Long live the King").
Another verified video shows a pro-government crowd at Sharif University staging a counter-protest, burning US and Israeli flags.
Verified footage filmed at Amirkabir University of Technology also shows clashes between pro-government and anti-government crowds.
Students from various universities are gathering to pay tribute to the thousands killed by authorities last month.
US-based Human Rights Activists (HARNA) said it has confirmed at least 7,015 deaths during that wave, including 6,508 protesters, 226 children, and 214 people associated with the government. The latest data was updated on February 15.
Harna also said it was investigating 11,744 additional reported deaths.
Iranian officials said late last month that more than 3,100 people had been killed – but most were security personnel or passersby attacked by "rioters."
President Trump has previously supported protesters – at one point appearing to encourage them by promising that "help is coming."
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