Will the US-Iran war end soon? Trump says negotiators ‘very close’ to finalizing deal: Report | Today’s news
United States President Donald Trump said Saturday that negotiations between Washington and Tehran are “moving a lot closer” to a final deal aimed at ending the war, according to an interview with CBS News.
He further said that any eventual deal would ensure that Iran could not obtain a nuclear weapon while also addressing the management of the country’s enriched uranium in a manner described as “satisfactory,” CBS reported.
“I’m only going to sign a deal where we get everything we want,” Trump said.
Iran, the United States and mediator Pakistan reportedly said on Saturday that there had been progress in talks aimed at ending the nearly three-month-old conflict.
Trump is said to decide by Sunday whether to renew the war
In a separate interview with Axios, Trump said he would review the latest draft of the Iran deal with his advisers later in the day and could decide whether to resume military action by Sunday.
“Either we get a good deal or I throw them into a thousand hells,” Trump mentioned, according to Axios.
What did Iran say?
Iranian state television quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei as saying he described the proposal as a “framework agreement,” adding that it was intended to cover key issues necessary to end the conflict, along with other matters important to Tehran. He noted that detailed negotiations will follow for 30 to 60 days before a final agreement is reached, according to the AP.
Baghaei also said the discussions include the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He further told Iran’s official news agency IRNA that the positions of the negotiating parties have become closer in recent days.
“During the past week, the trend has been to narrow the gap. We will have to wait and see what happens in the next three or four days,” he added.
Baghaei mentioned that nuclear issues are not currently part of the talks because Tehran’s immediate focus is on ending the war before dealing with its long-term nuclear program, which is at the center of international disputes.
“At this stage, we are focused on ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon,” Baghaei said, adding that the lifting of sanctions against Tehran “is explicitly included in the text and remains our firm position.”
Meanwhile, Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief and a key mediator between the United States and Iran, traveled to Tehran on Friday for talks on a possible deal with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Negotiations reportedly continued late into the night.
According to Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Araghchi also held talks with his counterparts in Oman, Turkey, Qatar and Iraq, as well as UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Since the ceasefire was declared six weeks ago, Trump has repeatedly switched between diplomatic negotiations and considering renewed military strikes. The truce was intended to give the two sides time to reach an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program and reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil and gas shipping route currently under Tehran’s control.
