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Two senior Iranian sources told Reuters before Trump’s comments that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has issued a directive that the uranium should not be sent abroad.

Trump also railed against Tehran’s intentions to charge fees for use of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas transited before the war.

“We want it open, we want it free. We don’t want tolls,” he said. “It’s an international waterway.”

Trump has said he is ready to resume strikes on Iran, which the US and ally Israel first launched in late February, if he does not get the “right answers” from Iran’s leadership.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have warned that renewed attacks would trigger retaliation beyond its region.

While talks to end the war have appeared to make little progress in the six weeks since a fragile ceasefire took effect, a main mediator, Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir, was expected to head to Tehran for more talks yesterday, three sources told Reuters.

Trump faces domestic pressure ahead of November midterm elections, with his approval rating near its lowest since he returned to the White House last year, and fuel price hikes are a big factor in that.

Tehran submitted its latest offer to the US this week.

Tehran’s descriptions suggest it largely repeats terms Trump previously rejected, including demands for control of the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damage, lifting of sanctions, release of frozen assets and the withdrawal of US troops from Gulf bases.

The International Energy Agency says the conflict has produced the world’s worst energy shock.

It yesterday warned that the peak of summer fuel demand coupled with a lack of new Middle East supply means the market could enter the “red zone” in July and August.

Some ships are managing to transit the strait, but only a trickle compared with the 125-140 daily passages before the war.

Iran’s IRNA news agency said 31 ships had passed in the last 24 hours in coordination with the Iranian navy.

Iran said it aimed to reopen the strait to friendly countries that abide by its terms, which could potentially include fees.

“It would make a diplomatic deal unfeasible if they were to continue to pursue that. So it’s a threat to the world if they were trying to do that, and it’s completely illegal,” Rubio said.