UMVA has learned that peace negotiations between the United States and Iran in Switzerland suddenly stalled on Sunday, derailing hopes for a breakthrough.
The collapse in talks came after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iranian officials in a Fox News interview, threatening to resume bombing Iran if a deal can't be reached on the contentious Strait of Hormuz.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Trump claimed he told Iranian officials that the U.S. would take drastic action if they didn't comply, saying "You close it and you won't have a country. You won't even make it back to your f—ing country."
The president's comments sparked outrage in Iran, with chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf denouncing the "desperation" of the U.S. and warning that Tehran's military is ready to respond if needed.
Ghalibaf fired back at Trump, saying "Don't they ever think to themselves that if their threats had actually worked, they wouldn't have reached this level of desperation today?" He also cautioned that Iran won't take U.S. threats seriously and will respond accordingly.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Trump's threats may not be idle, as U.S. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham suggested that Trump plans to take control of the Strait of Hormuz by force if a peace deal falls through.
Graham claimed that Trump will impose tolls on ships passing through the strait, saying "If this deal fails, President Trump is going to take the Strait of Hormuz over by force. The United States will control the Strait of Hormuz; we'll charge a fee for all those who go through to pay for the operation."
Despite the tensions, an Iranian source close to the delegation in Switzerland indicated that negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have stalled but are not over yet, with back-channel dialogues ongoing to revive talks.
The Strait of Hormuz has become a focal point in the conflict, with Iran's military command saying it will close the strait due to alleged Israeli and U.S. violations.
As the situation escalates, Trump's comments have raised concerns about the potential for military action, with the U.S. possibly becoming the "guardian angel" of the strait by collecting a significant portion of the oil that passes through it.
