US envoy Steve Witkoff said on Saturday that President Donald Trump is questioning why Iran has not "capitulated" in the face of Washington's military build-up aimed at pressuring them into a nuclear deal.
In a Fox News interview with Trump's daughter-in-law Lara, Witkoff said the president was "curious" about Iran's position after he had warned them of severe consequences in the event they failed to strike a deal.
"I don't want to use the word 'frustrated,' because he understands he has plenty of alternatives, but he's curious as to why they haven't... I don't want to use the word 'capitulated,' but why they haven't capitulated," he said.
"Why, under this pressure, with the amount of seapower and naval power over there, why haven't they come to us and said, 'We profess we don't want a weapon, so here's what we're prepared to do'? And yet it's sort of hard to get them to that place."
Witkoff's comments came after the United States and Iran this week resumed Oman-mediated talks in Geneva aimed at averting the possibility of military action, after Washington dispatched two aircraft carriers, jets and weaponry to the region to back its warnings.
Iran has been under threat of a US military attacks over the months, in response to the crackdown on anti-government protesters and a lack of agreement to a nuclear deal.
Meanwhile, in the Gaza Strip, Israel continued to violate the ceasefire which came into effect on 10 October.
Israeli warplanes targeted the eastern areas of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, while army vehicles also opened fire on the eastern areas of Khan Younis.
In Gaza City, Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes on the eastern areas, coinciding with sporadic artillery shelling of the same areas. This also comes as Palestinians in the enclave observe the holy month of Ramadan - their third under Israeli war.