US President Donald Trump predicted an end to the war with Iran soon, as he seeks to reach an agreement to resolve the stalemate over the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s nuclear program.
Speaking at an event to support Republican gubernatorial candidate Bert Jones, Trump said, “When you look at what’s going on, we’re doing it for a very important reason: we can’t let them have a nuclear weapon. I think most people understand that, they understand that what we’re doing is right, and it will end very quickly.”
Trump considered reaching an agreement with Iran to end the war in the Middle East “very possible,” but he did not rule out resuming strikes, while Iran’s chief negotiator accused Washington of trying to force Tehran into “surrender.” “We’ve had very good talks over the last 24 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll make a deal,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
Conversely, Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said Washington was seeking Tehran’s surrender through various means, including a naval blockade, as Trump said that Iran would ship its enriched uranium to the United States.
“The enemy, in its new design, is seeking, through a naval blockade, economic pressure and media manipulation, to destroy the country’s cohesion and force us to surrender,” Ghalibaf said in a voice message published on his official Telegram channel, as Trump has threatened to bomb Iran if a final agreement isn’t reached.
The influential speaker of the Iranian parliament did not elaborate on the prospects for a peace plan with the United States, as Tehran continues to review elements of a US proposal.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said that a US proposal to end the war is still “under review“.
“The US plan and proposal is still under review by Iran, and after finalizing its viewpoints, Iran will convey its views to key mediator in Pakistan,” Baghaei told the Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA).
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot ruled out on Thursday the possibility of lifting any international sanctions imposed on Iran as long as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
In Lebanon, an Israeli airstrike targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs on Wednesday evening for the first time since the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel came into effect on April 17, according to the official National News Agency.
A source close to Hezbollah said the airstrike killed Malik Ballout, commander of operations for the Radwan Force, the party’s elite unit. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strike targeted the Radwan Force commander.
Israeli strikes and Hezbollah operations continue despite the ceasefire. (AFP)
