US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz on Friday rejected the Financial Times’ characterization of his remarks on Iran, publishing an exchange in which he declined to predict how long the standoff would last and said decisions on sustaining the US blockade rested with President Donald Trump.
“I never said this. It was fabricated,” Waltz said in a response to Iran International’s coverage of the FT report titled “US is prepared for long standoff with Iran.”
He accused the newspaper of misrepresenting his comments in its article and podcast and demanded a correction.
In the transcript Waltz released, he said the US Navy could maintain the blockade for the foreseeable future and that Washington’s pressure campaign was tightening.
Asked whether the situation could remain largely unchanged a year from now, he replied: “I'm not gonna put out hypotheticals. One would hope that they'll come to the table in a meaningful way before that.”
Pressed on what would happen if Iran did not, Waltz said the duration of the blockade and the pursuit of diplomacy were decisions for Trump.
Iran International’s earlier report, citing the FT, described Washington as prepared for a prolonged confrontation.
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