Ruptly
"White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the White House is offering Iran 'flexibility' while awaiting a 'unified' response to US demands, citing what it described as deep internal divisions within Iran. "The president's offering them a little bit of flexibility because we want to see a unified proposal to the president's very strong proposal, and he's made his redlines very clear," Leavitt told reporters. Leavitt cautioned against relying on Iran’s public messaging, saying its statements often diverge from positions conveyed in private negotiations. "What they say publicly is much different than what they concede to the United States and our negotiating team privately," she said. She explained that Trump had extended the ceasefire to give Tehran time, framing the delay as a consequence of infighting between 'pragmatists and hardliners' within what remained of the Iranian leadership. "The president chose to extend the cease fire because it's Iran who needs to get their act together," she said, noting that Washington 'awaits' a 'unified response'. "The president has not set a firm deadline to receive an Iranian proposal, unlike some of the reporting I've seen today," she continued. "Ultimately, the timeline will be dictated by the commander in chief and the president of the United States." She insisted that the United States maintains 'control over this situation' and 'leverage over the Iranian regime'. "Not only have they been significantly weakened and obliterated militarily, but they are losing economically and financially every single moment that passes with this blockade," she stressed, claiming Iran could not afford to 'pay its own people' as a result of its inability to 'move oil' from Kharg Island. Leavitt pointed to ongoing economic measures, including a naval blockade, as evidence of sustained pressure. "But Operation Economic Fury continues, and the effective and successful naval blockade continues as well of ships and vessels that are moving to and from Iranian ports. We are completely strangling their economy through this blockade," Leavitt added. Speaking on domestic issues, Leavitt sharply criticised the Southern Poverty Law Center, calling it a 'criminal organisation', after the US Department of Justice announced bank fraud charges related to $3 million in payments the civil rights group allegedly made to informants of extremist groups. "It was quite shocking to me to learn of the egregious violations of the law of the Southern Poverty Law Centre," Leavitt noted. "They've obviously been duping their supporters and the American taxpayers for far too long. It's a criminal organisation," she added."
Go to News Site