Trump: Deal with Iran Very Likely to Be Reached
Washington (ANTARA) - US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (6/5) that talks with Iran have been “very good” over the past 24 hours, and a deal to permanently end the US-Israel war is “very likely to be reached”.
Trump said Iran is very keen to “make a deal”, and stressed that any deal reached must ensure Iran cannot acquire nuclear weapons.
“They want to make a deal. We have had very good talks over the past 24 hours, and it is very likely we will make a deal,” Trump said in the Oval Office.
“Iran cannot have nuclear weapons, and they will not have them, and they have agreed to that,” he said.
When asked if there was a specific deadline to reach a deal, Trump stressed that “there has never been a deadline”.
Trump had previously said in an interview with American television station PBS that the deal must involve Iran transferring its enriched uranium stocks directly to the US, and require Tehran to end all operations at its underground nuclear facilities.
Although Trump expressed optimism that a resolution is “very close”, he still issued a stern warning: “If they agree, it’s all over, and if they don’t agree, we will drop bombs.”
The President explicitly rejected reports that the deal would allow Iran to maintain 3.67 percent uranium enrichment, saying that provision is not part of the current framework.
Iran said on Wednesday (6/5) that the US proposal conveyed through Pakistani mediation is still under review and that Tehran will communicate its final position after completing its internal assessment.
Spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, told Iran’s semi-official news agency ISNA that the US proposal is still being examined and that Iran will convey its conclusions to the Pakistani side after completing its review process.
ISNA also reported that parts of the content published by US media outlet Axios regarding a possible deal between Tehran and Washington are “media speculation”, and that the Iranian negotiation team remains focused on the issue of “fully ending the war”.
Axios reported that Iran and the US are close to reaching an initial agreement to end the conflict and set parameters for broader nuclear negotiations.
Washington expects a response from Tehran on several key issues within 48 hours, according to the report.
Although no final agreement has been reached, US officials reportedly view the talks as the most significant approaching an initial deal between the two sides since the conflict began.
The proposed memorandum would state the end of the war and set a 30-day negotiation period for a more detailed agreement.
Further talks would focus on reopening transit through the Strait of Hormuz, limiting Iran’s nuclear programme, and lifting US sanctions.
Islamabad and Geneva are being considered as possible venues for the negotiations, Axios reported.
Based on the draft terms, Iran would agree to a moratorium on uranium enrichment, while the US would gradually ease sanctions and release billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds.
Both sides would also ease restrictions related to the Strait of Hormuz, including Iran’s restrictions on shipping and the US naval blockade.
The duration of the uranium enrichment moratorium has not yet been decided. Iran initially proposed a five-year period, while the US wants 20 years.
Source: Anadolu