Yasin Gungor
16 April 2026•Update: 16 April 2026
Bringing the war in Iran to a swift end required increasing economic pressure on Tehran, US President Donald Trump told the Dutch king and queen in a private dinner, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
Trump described ramping up pressure as the only way to get Tehran back to the negotiating table.
However, as Washington moves to enforce a unilateral naval blockade on Iranian ports, officials and analysts cautioned that it could take months or longer for Iran to feel enough economic pain from the blockade to make concessions.
Trump has set two firm conditions for any deal, according to administration officials: Iran must freeze uranium enrichment for at least 20 years – though he is pushing for longer – and all enriched uranium must be removed from Iranian soil. Tehran has countered with an offer of a five-year freeze and insists on keeping its stockpile inside the country.
Meanwhile, European countries, including the Netherlands, have declined to participate in the blockade.
Saudi Arabia urged Washington to abandon the plan, fearing Iran would retaliate by activating proxy groups to shut down the Red Sea, as domestic concerns over increased oil prices pressures the US president.
The US Central Command began enforcing the blockade on Monday, following the collapse of direct US-Iran talks in Pakistan over the weekend, the first formal negotiations since the Feb. 28 offensive began.
Vice President JD Vance, who led the failed first round of talks, remains on standby to travel again to Pakistan if the administration believes progress is possible, according to the WSJ.
