Trump claims Iran agrees to end nuclear programme 'without time limit'
Washington (ANTARA) - US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran has agreed to suspend its nuclear programme without a time limit, and the US will not release Iran’s frozen assets.
In an interview with Bloomberg News on Friday, Trump stated that direct talks with Iran regarding the permanent cessation of the war “might” take place this weekend, though he did not specify who would lead the US delegation.
The US President also said he “might” fly to Pakistan to sign the reached agreement.
“Most of the main points have been agreed upon, and the process will be quick,” Trump said in a brief telephone interview with Bloomberg News.
The first round of negotiations took place last weekend but failed to reach an agreement despite lengthy discussions. The two-week ceasefire agreed upon with Pakistan as a mediator will also end early next week.
When asked if the moratorium on Iran’s nuclear programme would last for 20 years, Trump said the suspension would not have a specific timeframe.
Nevertheless, details of the agreement being discussed remain unconfirmed.
The interview took place a few hours after Axios reported that Trump was considering releasing $20 billion in frozen Iranian funds in exchange for Tehran handing over its uranium reserves.
However, Trump denied that the release of funds to Iran was under consideration.
Meanwhile, regarding the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire achieved with his assistance, the US President said his side would help develop it into a sustainable agreement.
“We will not continue bombing Lebanon and we will not allow others to do so,” Trump said.
“We will fix Lebanon,” the US President added.
In a separate interview with CBS News, Trump confirmed that Iran has “agreed to everything” and will cooperate with the US in removing its enriched uranium stockpiles.
US personnel will not be deployed in that operation, Trump said. But he emphasised that those carrying out the task would be “our people”.
“We will get it together because at that time, we will have a deal, and we won’t need to quarrel when there is such a thing. Good, right? That’s better,” he stated.
“Our people, together with the Iranian side, will work together to take it, and then we will bring it back to the US,” he added.