Trump says Iranian leaders are ‘strong’ and ‘proud’ but ‘they’ve got no choice’ on deal

US President Donald Trump said on Friday (June 5) that Iranian leaders have not yet agreed to a deal with Washington to end the ongoing conflict because they are "strong" and "proud," but insisted that Tehran would eventually have to come to an agreement.

Trump expressed confidence that negotiations would ultimately succeed despite the prolonged fighting.

'They've got no choice'

Trump said Iranian leaders were resisting concessions but argued that circumstances would eventually force them to strike a deal.

"They're strong, they're proud, there are things they never thought they'd be doing that they're going to have to do," Trump told NBC News. "They've got no choice, and it takes a little while."

His comments come as US and Iranian officials continue talks aimed at ending the conflict, which entered its fourth month last week.

Conflict continues despite ceasefire efforts

The United States and Iran agreed to a ceasefire in April, but the arrangement has been repeatedly extended amid continuing tensions.

Recent days have seen renewed hostilities, including exchanges of strikes near the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the fragility of efforts to de-escalate the conflict.

The closure of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz earlier in the conflict disrupted global energy markets, contributing to higher oil prices and increased fuel costs in the United States.

Trump pushes back against critics

During the interview, Trump rejected criticism that his administration has been slow to secure a resolution.

"It takes years to do these things," he said.

The President argued that the confrontation with Iran must be viewed in the context of decades of hostility between Washington and Tehran.

"These people have been fighting for 47 years. They've been killing Americans," Trump said.

He also compared the timeline of the current conflict to the Vietnam War.

"I'm moving very fast. I'm into three months. You know, Vietnam lasted 19 years," Trump said. "All they do is say, 'Whoa, when are you going to win?'"

Claims of military success

Trump asserted that US military operations had significantly weakened Iran's military capabilities.

"We've totally destroyed their military," he said.

However, he acknowledged that Iran still retains some ability to conduct attacks.

"Most of the drone factories have been knocked out, most of the launching pads have been knocked out, and most of the missile manufacturing areas have been knocked out," Trump said.

"But they still have capacity. They have some missiles, they have some drones."

The President estimated that Iran retains roughly "21% to 22%" of its missile arsenal, though he noted that this still represents a substantial number of weapons.

Iran continues attacks

Despite Trump's assessment, Iran demonstrated continued missile and drone capabilities earlier this week through attacks across the Persian Gulf region.

Among the targets struck was Kuwait International Airport, highlighting Tehran's ability to continue military operations despite months of conflict and sustained US-led strikes.

Nuclear concerns remain central

Trump and senior administration officials have repeatedly argued that the military campaign was necessary to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

The conflict began after a series of US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, with Washington maintaining that the operation was aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear ambitions and degrading its military infrastructure.