Humeyra Pamuk, Katharine Jackson, Parisa Hafezi and Yomna Ehab
Washington/Dubai: US President Donald Trump said he would soon decide on a proposed deal to extend the ceasefire with Iran, though the two countries still appeared to differ on significant issues that have been central to the conflict.
Trump said on Friday morning (Washington time) that he would meet in a secure White House room to make a “final determination” on the proposal, which would extend the truce agreed to in early April for another 60 days, which would give negotiators time to forge a permanent end to the war.
A White House official said the meeting in the Situation Room lasted about two hours, but did not address whether Trump had made a decision.
“President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his redlines. Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon,” the official said.
A senior Iranian source told Reuters an agreement was close but had not yet been approved.
Trump said Iran would have to end its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz and dismantle its capacity to make a nuclear weapon – two conditions that Tehran has not agreed to.
“Iran must agree that they will never have a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb. The Hormuz Strait must be immediately open, no tolls, for unrestricted shipping traffic, in both directions,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. He said that nuclear material would be “unearthed” by the US.
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency, citing sources, said Trump’s comments were an “attempt to portray a fabricated victory”.
The senior Iranian source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the potential deal did not include any nuclear-related issues, while Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on state TV that the management of the strait must be decided by Iran and Oman.
Fars said the strait would be reopened under Tehran’s conditions after the US lifted its blockade on Iranian ships.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US blockade would be removed slowly if it happened.
Fars also said there was an agreement to release $US12 billion ($16.7 billion) of Iran’s frozen assets.
But Trump said no money would be exchanged “until further notice”, in a possible reference to Iran’s demands for toll payments in the strait, war damage reparations or a release of frozen Iranian assets.
Oil prices fell and stocks rose on Friday on news of the potential deal.
Trump is under pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and get US petrol prices down before the November congressional elections, as voters show increasing frustration over rising prices. At the same time, he faces a potential backlash from Iran hawks in his own party over any concessions to Tehran.
The war launched by the US and Israel on February 28 has killed thousands of people, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, and caused global economic pain by pushing up energy prices due to Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
In his post on Truth Social, Trump said mines would be removed from the strait and ships trapped there may start to go home: “Say HELLO to your wives, husbands, parents, and families from me, your favourite President!”
Kazakhstan had signalled it was willing to take Tehran’s uranium stockpile of highly enriched uranium in the event of a deal, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told the Financial Times.
Kazakhstan already hosts an internationally controlled bank of uranium to ensure fuel supplies for power stations in International Atomic Energy Agency member states.
Iran also wants sanctions lifted, US forces withdrawn from the region and for any peace deal also to end Israel’s offensive in Lebanon.
Israel has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and pushed deep into Lebanon as it pursues the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia.
Lebanon says more than 3200 people have been killed by Israeli strikes, while Israel says 23 of its soldiers and four civilians have been killed.
Reuters
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