US President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that Iran “can’t get their act together” and added, “They don’t know how to sign a nonnuclear deal. They better get smart soon!”
Accompanying the text was an apparently AI-generated image of Trump holding a gun, with the message “NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!” The post marked another hardening of the US president’s language as negotiations with Tehran failed to show progress.
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Talks ghosted: Islamabad meeting off, Strait heat on
A second round of US-Iran peace talks had been due to take place in Islamabad at the weekend, but Trump ordered his envoys not to attend.
Euronews said the White House had planned to send special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for an in-person conversation, while Iranian state-run media maintained that direct talks were never on the table. President Trump’s rhetoric is rising as his administration considers extending the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
ðŸ¨ðŸ‡ºðŸ‡² Trump met with oil executives as the Iran war disrupts global supply and drives up prices.
— KOSO (@KosoKhalifa) April 29, 2026
Gas has risen to about $4.18 per gallon, creating political pressure, while the U.S. has limited options to ease the surge ”Axios Report. pic.twitter.com/Qh8DcuAYYP
Oil spikes, rial slips
Trump has told US national security officials to prepare for a long blockade of Iran’s ports in an effort to pressure Tehran into giving up its nuclear program.
He believes Iran is not negotiating in good faith and wants it to suspend uranium enrichment and accept tighter restrictions. The standoff comes as the two sides remain at odds over how to end hostilities, with Washington publicly insisting that Iran must not obtain nuclear weapons.
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The threat of prolonged disruption to the global economy has sent energy prices soaring—national gas price averages in the US reached $4.23 a gallon, the highest level in nearly four years. The international benchmark price for oil, Brent crude, has surged to nearly $115 a barrel overnight.
Meanwhile, Iran’s national rial currency hit a record low against the dollar, as Tehran's economy also showed growing signs of strain.
