Trump Claims Internal Chaos in Iran, Unclear Negotiation Partners: Excludes Use of Nuclear Weapons, Warns of Oil Price Impact

On April 24, U.S. President Trump stated that the U.S. currently “does not know who the leaders of Iran are,” believing that Iran is delaying the negotiation process and that the dialogue partners are unclear. He described Iran as “moving closer to the U.S., but internally very chaotic.” On a military level, Trump explicitly stated that he would not use nuclear weapons and warned that the consequences of a nuclear strike would be “worse than oil prices rising to $200 per barrel.” In terms of energy, he noted that ships from around the world are heading to the U.S. to purchase oil and acknowledged that American consumers may need to endure higher gasoline prices in the short term. He also emphasized that the U.S. is not seeking an additional time window.