Trump says US talking to Iran amid sanctions push

President Trump stated that the US is talking to Iran while imposing sanctions on eight Canadian businesses accused of moving money for Tehran through crypto networks. Trump claimed military success and open shipping lanes, while the Treasury targeted financial channels linked to Iran and drug proceeds.

United States President Donald Trump saidthat Washington was talking to Iran, while his administration rolled out fresh sanctions targeting eight Canada-based money services businesses accused of assisting Tehran in routing funds through cryptocurrency networks. "We're talking to Iran. We have been," Trump told reporters before departing the White House.

The American leader depicted the prevailing military situation as advantageous for Washington, adding that the strategic Strait of Hormuz was now opening. "We've beaten Iran. We are doing very well with Iran," he said.

When questioned about his message to Iran, Trump interwove his assertion of military success with signals that diplomatic contacts remained active. These remarks coincided with the US Treasury Department's announcement of sanctions against eight Canada-based money services businesses under Operation Economic Outcast.

The Treasury accused these commercial entities of swapping Iranian rials and other currencies into digital assets to channel cross-border transfers involving Tehran. Officials asserted that numerous firms interacted with blacklisted Iranian crypto platforms or digital wallets tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The punitive steps were executed in tandem with Canada's financial intelligence unit, FINTRAC, alongside the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and the Drug Enforcement Administration, according to Treasury disclosures.

The formal sanctions announcement omitted any characterisation of the measures as components of a negotiated arrangement and did not link the official designations to the contacts referenced by Trump. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott stated that Washington intended to persist in targeting revenue which it alleged provided backing for weapons programmes and regional proxies. He underscored that the initiative demonstrated collaborative efforts alongside Ottawa aimed at safeguarding North American financial infrastructure.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasised that his department would track down Iran's financial channels across any global jurisdiction where they operated. Furthermore, the Treasury alleged that several designated outfits processed narcotics proceeds connected to former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding. These claims appeared within the official designation documents; the review materials available did not contain statements from the accused enterprises.

The imposed measures freeze targeted assets under American jurisdiction and bar US citizens from conducting commercial interactions with them, barring official waivers. These administrative actions do not amount to a criminal conviction. (ANI)