Donald Trump offered a significant update on the direction of the U.S.-Iran war as both sides weigh a potential peace proposal. The president shared his outlook on the conflict’s timeline and the state of negotiations, even as Tehran pushed back on reports of a near-deal.
Donald Trump drops update on Iran war
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism about ending the war with Iran, telling reporters that talks have been “very good,” Al Jazeera reported. Trump said Iran wants to “make a deal badly” and added that “if we get there, they can’t have nuclear weapons.” He later told PBS he was hopeful about reaching an agreement before his trip to China next week.
Trump warned he would resume military action if diplomacy fails. “I think it’s got a very good chance of ending, and if it doesn’t end, we have to go back to bombing the hell out of them,” he told PBS. He later told party supporters on a call that “it’ll be over quickly.”
Reuters reported that both sides were close to agreeing on a one-page memorandum to end the conflict. Axios said the 14-point document would see Iran halt uranium enrichment for 12 years. The U.S. would lift sanctions and release frozen Iranian assets under the proposed terms.
Iranian officials pushed back against reports of a near-deal. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran had not yet provided its response to the U.S. proposal. Lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei called the U.S. text “more of an American wish list than a reality.”
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, mocked the reports on social media. He wrote in English that “Operation Trust Me Bro failed.” Ghalibaf said the reports were U.S. spin after its failed Strait of Hormuz operation.
Trump had paused the military’s “Project Freedom” operation on Tuesday. He cited a request from Pakistan and “great progress” in talks with Iran. The operation had escalated tensions, with the U.S. military reporting intercepted Iranian missiles.
Iran has drawn firm red lines in the negotiations. Al Jazeera’s Almigdad al-Ruhaid reported that Tehran considers its nuclear enrichment programme non-negotiable. Iran has also refused to transfer its 400kg stockpile of highly enriched uranium abroad.
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on Mandatory.com.
