President Donald Trump has said the United States will not allow Iran to freely profit from selling oil to the countries of its choosing, as part of his broader pressure strategy during the ongoing nuclear‑talks process. In open‑source remarks attributed to him on 12 April 2026, Trump stated that Iran would be prevented from making money by exporting oil to “those it likes,” signalling continued restrictions on Iranian energy sales and buyer networks even as diplomacy continues. These comments reinforce the US‑led sanctions‑and‑financial‑pressure posture that has limited Iran’s global oil‑revenue channels for years.
Trump also claimed that Iranian negotiators have not left the bargaining table and predicted they would eventually return and accept “everything we want” in the current round of talks. According to open‑source feeds, he framed this as a matter of time and pressure, insisting that Iran’s leadership will ultimately capitulate to US demands on the nuclear program, regional behaviour, and financial controls. Trump stressed that Tehran’s survival is tied to Washington’s terms, not to any independent bargaining power.
Trump further remarked that the Iranian delegation seen in Islamabad on the previous day “were sharp, [good] after regime change,” implying that a significantly different leadership in Tehran would be more capable or pragmatic in negotiations. This line was widely interpreted as a renewed allusion to regime‑change aspirations, even though White House‑linked channels reiterate that the US does not formally seek to overthrow Iran’s government.
Finally, Trump said he would “further destruct Iran” if it does not give up on key red‑lined demands, repeating his hard‑line rhetoric while also claiming that his threats have kept Tehran at the table. Iranian officials continue to reject such language as unlawful and unacceptable, while insisting that they remain at the talks to protect national interests and avoid wider conflict, not because of Trump’s social‑media‑style warnings.
Key highlights
-
Trump says US will not let Iran make money selling oil to “those it likes.”
-
He claims Iran has not left talks and will come back to give “everything we want.”
-
Trump says the Iranian delegation “were sharp, good after regime change.”
-
He threatens to “further destruct Iran” if Iran does not meet US demands.
-
Iran rejects Trump’s rhetoric while staying at the bargaining table.