According to a video from 00:22:53 posted on Fox News on Friday July 15, 2026, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran is under heavy military pressure from the United States, describing the toll as devastating for the Iranian regime.
She made the comment while explaining the current status of negotiations between Washington and Tehran during her return to the White House briefing room.
Leavitt said she had spoken directly with President Trump about the matter shortly before addressing reporters.
She explained that despite the intensity of recent strikes, Iran has continued reaching out to the United States, expressing a desire to reach a new agreement even as it faces significant losses.
In her words, Karoline Leavitt said, “Iran very much continues to talk to the United States of America and express that they want to make a deal with us because they are suffering devastating blows on behalf of our United States military.”
She said the recent escalation followed Iran’s decision to fire on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, breaking an earlier understanding between the two countries.
Leavitt said President Trump would not allow such actions to go unanswered and that the administration remains focused on ensuring Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon.
She also addressed criticism that the administration’s messaging on Iran has been inconsistent, saying comments from President Trump and Vice President Vance reflect different points in an evolving situation rather than a genuine disagreement.
Leavitt maintained that the two leaders remain aligned in their overall approach, favoring continued diplomacy alongside sustained military pressure until Iran fully complies with its earlier commitments to the United States.
The briefing also touched on the naval blockade in the strait, oil prices, and preparations for the president’s primetime address on election integrity later that evening….See More