White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on July 16, 2026. The White House said on Thursday that talks between the United States and Iran were ongoing despite the renewed hostilities. "We're talking to them. But again, the President is not going to allow them to fire on ships in the strait without paying a consequence for that," Leavitt told reporters at a press conference. The United States launched another round of strikes against Iran on Thursday, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)
WASHINGTON, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The White House said on Thursday that talks between the United States and Iran were ongoing despite the renewed hostilities.
"We're talking to them. But again, the President is not going to allow them to fire on ships in the strait without paying a consequence for that," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a press conference.
"They (The Iranians) have expressed they still want to make a deal with the President," she added.
On Wednesday, Trump thanked Iran for releasing a U.S. citizen who had been detained since December 2024, a move seen as a possible diplomatic opening.
The U.S. Central Command announced on Thursday that at 2 p.m. ET, U.S. forces began conducting a new wave of strikes against Iran for the sixth consecutive night to "further degrade Iranian military capabilities." ■
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on July 16, 2026.
The White House said on Thursday that talks between the United States and Iran were ongoing despite the renewed hostilities.
"We're talking to them. But again, the President is not going to allow them to fire on ships in the strait without paying a consequence for that," Leavitt told reporters at a press conference.
The United States launched another round of strikes against Iran on Thursday, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on July 16, 2026.
The White House said on Thursday that talks between the United States and Iran were ongoing despite the renewed hostilities.
"We're talking to them. But again, the President is not going to allow them to fire on ships in the strait without paying a consequence for that," Leavitt told reporters at a press conference.
The United States launched another round of strikes against Iran on Thursday, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt takes questions during a press conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on July 16, 2026.
The White House said on Thursday that talks between the United States and Iran were ongoing despite the renewed hostilities.
"We're talking to them. But again, the President is not going to allow them to fire on ships in the strait without paying a consequence for that," Leavitt told reporters at a press conference.
The United States launched another round of strikes against Iran on Thursday, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on July 16, 2026.
The White House said on Thursday that talks between the United States and Iran were ongoing despite the renewed hostilities.
"We're talking to them. But again, the President is not going to allow them to fire on ships in the strait without paying a consequence for that," Leavitt told reporters at a press conference.
The United States launched another round of strikes against Iran on Thursday, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)
