The White House spokesman confirmed that the U.S. will abide by the law after Donald Trump threatened to destroy Iran's energy sources if Tehran refuses to reach an agreement, and also affirmed that negotiations are progressing well.
On 30 Mar 2026 GMT+7, White House spokeswoman Caroline Lewitt held a daily press briefing, discussing various updates on the Middle East conflict. At one point, she confirmed that talks with Iran are progressing well despite Tehran’s negative stance.
The White House sought to present a positive image of U.S.-Iran negotiations, stating that the negative public statements by Tehran do not reflect the private messages exchanged between the two sides.
“It is not surprising that remaining power factions of this regime are increasingly eager to end the destruction and step to the negotiating table while they still can,” Lewitt said.
“Despite the public posturing we've heard from this regime and the inaccurate media reports, negotiations continue and are going well,” she added. “Certainly, what is spoken publicly differs greatly from what is communicated to us privately.”
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Bakaei described the U.S. 15-point proposal to end the conflict as containing “excessive, untrue, and highly unreasonable demands,” contradicting Trump’s previous claim that Iran had agreed to most of those demands.
Lewitt further stated that if Iran rejects an agreement with the U.S., President Donald Trump has prepared options to “ensure the regime pays a steep price by any means necessary.”
When pressed by reporters about Trump’s threat to destroy Iran’s energy facilities and possibly its desalination plants if Tehran does not agree and keep the Strait of Hormuz open, Lewitt said the U.S. military will always operate within legal boundaries.
Targeting civilian sites such as desalination plants could violate international law. However, Lewitt said Trump’s intention is to pressure Iran into making a deal.
“At this point, the President has made a clear stance to the Iranian government... that their best option is to reach an agreement. Otherwise, they will learn that the U.S. military’s capabilities exceed what they can imagine, and the President is not afraid to use them.”
“Of course, this administration and the U.S. military will always operate within legal limits. But to achieve all objectives of Operation Epic Fury, President Trump will proceed relentlessly and expects—indeed demands—that the Iranian regime agrees to a deal with this administration.”
When asked about the apparent contradiction between Trump saying he wants to negotiate with Iran while sending U.S. military forces to the Middle East, Lewitt said diplomacy remains Trump’s “top priority and most important option.”
Lewitt recalled the Trump administration’s efforts to make a deal before the war broke out, claiming those attempts failed due to the previous Iranian regime.
“If there is another chance to reach an agreement, the President is ready to listen. But that does not prevent him from pursuing the military objectives he set 30 days ago, and our military continues to work daily to achieve those goals.”
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Source:cnn