World·Middle East
Evening Wrap: Trump expects Iran talks as early as Monday; Bessent says oil lifeline nearly dry
One day after rejecting Tehran’s seven-day Hormuz reopening plan, President Donald Trump told Axios in a Sunday phone interview that he expects U.S. negotiators to engage in more talks with Iran this week, saying, “They want to make a deal, but it is not the deal that I want to make… They overplayed their hand.” Two regional sources told Axios they expect another round of indirect U.S.-Iran dialogue as early as Monday, with Qatari mediators set to meet separately with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News Sunday that only about 15 million barrels of Iranian oil remain out for delivery to China under Operation Economic Outcast and that Tehran will have “nothing left to trade” within about two weeks; he said U.S.-facilitated Hormuz oil flows are averaging 15 to 22 million barrels a day.