Iran…Trump…War/Conflict…Evening…8/27/2026….Movement…NOT…Connected….

President Trump insisted Thursday that Iran is “begging to make a deal,” as Iranian officials push back against the U.S. and talks between the two countries remain stalled.

“I don’t want to meet, they do,” he said in a Truth Social post that lashed out at a Fox News report.

Mr. Trump told reporters earlier Thursday his administration is “not looking to meet” with Iran, arguing the naval blockade on Iranian ports and ever-tightening sanctions on Iran’s economy have inflicted severe damage on the country.

Publicly, Iranian officials have stood firm, vowing to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed to shipping traffic unless the U.S. returns to a temporary deal the two sides struck earlier this summer. Mr. Trump claims the strait is open, but ships have been hesitant to sail through the vital waterway.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s foreign minister visited Tehran on Thursday and urged the two sides to “resume the diplomatic process.”

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ISW….Iran Update, August 27, 2026

1. The Iranian officials currently dominating regime decision-making appear to retain their anti-concessions stance vis-à-vis the United States despite compounding US economic pressure and a worsening domestic fuel crisis. Western media has recently reported long lines at gas stations and gas station closures as a result of fuel shortages across Iran.
2. Key decision-makers in Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s inner circle continue to threaten to respond to US economic pressure and do not appear to have softened their position on core regime demands. These decision-makers’ insistence on maintaining maximalist demands despite immense economic pressure highlights their willingness to incur economic costs and the risk of potential domestic unrest.
3. Some senior Pezeshkian administration officials are trying to downplay the situation and reassure the public, likely to try to mitigate the risk of social unrest during this economic crisis.
4. The Iranian regime appears to be considering several courses of action to address the fuel crisis, including potentially raising gasoline prices. Raising fuel prices has previously caused widespread protests in Iran.
5. Some peripheral elements of the Iranian regime are more openly advocating for the development of nuclear weapons. These individuals do not have decision-making authority over Iran’s nuclear policy, but their recent comments are nevertheless notable given that they reflect a growing normalization of discussions about nuclear weapons in Iranian political discourse.
6. These parliamentarians and commentators’ support for nuclear weapons development reflects a public debate over how Iran should restore deterrence after the recent US-Israel-Iran War, similar to debates that followed the June 2025 Israel-Iran War.
7. The recent public discussions about nuclear weapons among peripheral elements of the regime may reflect decreased control over the information space by the Supreme Leader, as opposed to an actual increase in discussions about nuclear weapons.

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News 18.Com….

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Thursday that mines planted by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz were cleared, describing it as a “major milestone” in the strategic waterway.

In a video message posted on ‘X’, Commander of US CENTCOM Brad Cooper said: “The US military has achieved a major milestone in the Strait of Hormuz. We have successfully cleared sea mines in the Strait’s international shipping lanes that were laid months ago by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)”.

“Over the past few months, our forces meticulously and quietly cleared the sea mine threats using a combination of navy diverse, and navy seas along with the US air power from the Army, Navy and Air Force”, Cooper said.

He underlined that the circumstances were “challenging and dangerous to say the least, but we got the job done”.