Trump says US very close to Iran deal and announces Israel-Lebanon ceasefire
It looks very likely that we will reach a deal with Iran, and it will be a good deal, no nuclear weapons, Trump said
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Washington is very close to reaching a deal with Iran and announced that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, in a day that combined diplomatic overtures with explicit threats to resume hostilities if Tehran does not accept American terms.
It looks very likely that we will reach a deal with Iran, and it will be a good deal, no nuclear weapons, Trump said in the White House garden before boarding Marine One for Las Vegas. He indicated that a new round of talks with Tehran could take place this weekend and that he is considering traveling to Islamabad if negotiations succeed, before the current ceasefire expires next Wednesday. The blockade has been incredible. They can’t do business. It may be more effective than bombs, to tell you the truth, he added about the naval operation in the Strait of Hormuz, in effect since Monday.
Hours earlier, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had delivered a markedly more aggressive message from the Pentagon. We are reloading with more power than ever before and better intelligence than ever before, he warned Iran, repeatedly urging its leaders to choose wisely. If not, we will bomb key energy infrastructure and the Treasury Secretary will unleash Operation Economic Fury through sanctions. We can do this the easy way or the hard way, he said.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine provided tactical details of the blockade. Using maps of the strait, he explained that Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are deployed in the area and that so far 14 ship captains have made the wise decision to turn around in response to US warnings. If you do not comply with this blockade, we will use force, Caine warned, according to Al Jazeera.
The war, launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28, is now 48 days old. The first round of direct negotiations in Islamabad, led by Vice President J. D. Vance, collapsed last weekend after 21 hours of talks. The main sticking point was Iran’s nuclear program. Pakistan is intensifying its mediating role: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Saudi Arabia on Thursday to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and will travel to Qatar and Turkey, while Pakistan’s army chief visited Tehran this week.
Iran, meanwhile, halted petrochemical exports until further notice. Brent crude prices have risen more than 31% since the conflict began.
Separately, the House of Representatives voted Thursday on an Iran war powers resolution, with only one Republican voting in favor and one Democrat against, ABC News reported. The Senate had rejected a similar resolution on Wednesday.
From Cameroon, Pope Leo XIV condemned those who manipulate religion and the name of God for their own military, economic and political benefit, and cover the sacred with darkness and filth, in what was widely interpreted as a reference to the AI-generated image Trump posted on Sunday depicting himself as a messiah.
