US President Donald Trump has indicated possible progress in the ongoing conflict with Iran, but cautioned that the current ceasefire could end soon if upcoming talks fail. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said there had been “some good news,” though he stopped short of giving details.
“We had some pretty good news 20 minutes ago, but it seems to be going very well in the Middle East with Iran,” he said. “You’ll hear about it… I just think it’s something that should happen.”
Ceasefire extension in doubt
Trump made it clear that the continuation of the two-week ceasefire depends on the outcome of a second round of negotiations with Tehran. He suggested that if no long-term agreement is reached by Wednesday, the pause in hostilities may not be extended.
Blockade to continue for now
Despite Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said the US naval blockade in the region would remain in place for the time being. However, he hinted that even this could change depending on how the situation evolves. Trump warned that failure in talks could lead to a return to military action.
“So you have a blockade, and unfortunately, we have to start dropping bombs again,” he said.
Earlier, addressing a gathering at the Turning Point USA event in Phoenix, Arizona, Trump also spoke about Iran’s decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, reiterating that blockade on Iranian ships and ports will stay into force for now.
“The naval blockade with the greatest navy in the world, from the greatest military the world has ever seen, we built it. During my first term, we built it… We’ll remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100 per cent complete and fully signed,” the 79-year-old Republican leader said.
In his address, the US president also reiterated that his claim that Iran has agreed to handover its enriched uranium and the Americans will remove it from Tehran’s nuclear sites with excavators under any peace deal. Though it should be mentioned here that Iran’s Foreign Ministry has said that the country’s enriched uranium would not be transferred.
“Somebody said, how are we going to get the nuclear dust? We’re going to get it by going in with Iran, with lots of excavators,” Trump said. “We need the biggest excavators you can imagine. But we’re going to go in together with Iran. We’re going to get it. We’re going to take it back home to the USA very soon.”
US brokered Lebanon deal
Trump also claimed that it were the Americans who helped in brokering a peace deal in Lebanon and stopped Israel from bombing the Middle East nation. A ceasefire in Lebanon was one of the demands of Iran during the recent talks with the US in Islamabad. Iran has been pressing for a ceasefire, calling for Israel to end all hostilities to end there.
“Yesterday, we achieved what everyone said was impossible, an unprecedented ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. That hasn’t taken place in 78 years. Our deal with Iran is not in any way tied to Lebanon, but we will make Lebanon great again,” the president said.
