- Iran says war with US and Israel ends only if assured no future attacks occur
- Iranian Deputy FM cites China, Russia, France contacts on possible ceasefire talks
- Trump plans to waive oil sanctions and escort tankers through Strait of Hormuz
A senior Iranian diplomat on Tuesday said the war with the United States and Israel will only end if Tehran is assured it won't be attacked again, after President Donald Trump predicted the 11-day conflict would resolve "very soon".
"We will only end the war under conditions where we are certain it won't happen again," Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told an Iranian state-run TV. If the ceasefire is proposed, it will only come into effect when Iran is "confident such events won't be repeated", he said.
Gharibabadi also said countries including China, Russia and France have contacted Tehran regarding a possible ceasefire.
A day ago, Trump said he plans to waive oil-related sanctions on Iran, have the US Navy escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz and predicted the war would resolve "very soon". The leader said he didn't believe the conflict would be over this week, but insisted the operation was ahead of schedule. He vowed bombing "at a much, much harder level" if Iran disrupted oil supplies alongside his sanctions pledge.
Following his comments, international oil prices eased, with the benchmark Brent dropping to below $92 per barrel. Equity markets in Asia traded higher.
"We're looking to keep the oil prices down," Trump said at a news conference in Florida. "They went artificially up because of this excursion."
The president didn't offer additional specifics for the end of the Iran war he launched alongside Israel, beyond acknowledging he had discussed the topic with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call earlier Monday, Bloomberg News reported.
ALSO READ: Brent Crude Drops 6% To Below $92-Level As Trump Signals Possible End To Iran Conflict
Change Of Guard In Tehran
The Iran war started on Feb. 28 when Israel and the US launched a joint air attack on major Iranian cities that killed many including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The war has claimed more than 1,300 lives in the country, according to local authorities.
Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets. At least seven American military personnel have died.
On Sunday, Iran's media announced that Khamenei's son Mojtaba Khamenei won a "decisive vote" in Iran's Assembly of Experts to become supreme leader. The 56-year-old has deep ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the most powerful military and economic organisation in Iran. The group pledged full obedience to the new leader.
On Monday, Trump indicated his displeasure, saying Iran should put in a leader "that's going to be able to do something peacefully, for a change".
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