Morristown Municipal Airport
Morristown, New Jersey

4:32 P.M. EDT

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Q    Do you have an updated on the Iranian oil tanker in Gibraltar that has (inaudible)?

THE PRESIDENT:  No, no update, other than Iran would like to talk also.  I have to say “also.”  China wants to talk, but Iran would like to talk.  They just don’t know quite how to get there.

Look, they’re very proud people, but their economy is crashing.  It’s crashing.  Inflation is through the roof.  They’re doing really badly.  They’re not selling oil.  Even — I mean, we put the sanctions on.  The oil is selling much less — I mean, much less — than we thought.  It’s like a trickle.  And they very much want to make a deal.  They just don’t know how to call because they’re proud people, and I understand that.  But I have a feeling that maybe things with Iran could work out, and maybe not.

If you notice, they haven’t taken any of our boats.  They haven’t taken our ships.  They’ve taken ships, but they haven’t taken our ships, and they better not.

But I will say this: I really think that Iran wants to get there.  They have a great potential.  I say this about North Korea.  North Korea has tremendous potential.  Also, Iran has tremendous potential, and we can do something very fast, but they don’t quite know how to begin because they’re proud people.  They’re very proud people.  But their country is crashing.  Their economy is a disaster.  They’ve got to do something, so let’s see what happens.

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