Witkoff says Trump curious why Iran hasn’t capitulated under US pressure

TABNAK, Feb. 22 - US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff says President Donald Trump is “curious” as to why Iran has not yielded under mounting US threatening rhetoric.

News ID: 7189

Date: 22 February 2026 - 16:15

In an interview with Fox News, Witkoff says Trump is questioning why Tehran has not “capitulated” despite what he describes as significant US naval and sea power deployed in the region.

“The president asked me that this morning, and he’s — I don’t wanna use the word frustrated… because he understands he’s got plenty of alternatives, but… he’s curious as to why they haven’t, I don’t wanna use the word capitulated, but why they haven’t capitulated.”

Witkoff suggests that Washington expects Iran to formally state that it does not seek a nuclear weapon and outline concrete steps to prove it.

Witkoff’s remarks come as Iranian officials have repeatedly stressed the peaceful nature of the country's nuclear program. Iran has constantly declared that it is not seeking nuclear weapons, stressing that its nuclear technology is solely for civil purposes. Also, there is a Fatwa by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, which bans any possession and use of weapons of mass destruction.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Witkoff said that the US insists Iran give up uranium enrichment, adding that this is a red line in negotiations for Washington.

This is while Iranian officials have time and again stressed that they would in no circumstances accept any deal that demands zero enrichment inside the country. Also, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently said in an interview with MSNBC that the United States did not demand "zero uranium enrichment" from Iran in recent talks in Geneva. Iranian officials have repeatedly criticized American officials for their contradictory statements in negotiations and in media statements.