Former US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he could travel to Pakistan if a deal to end the war with Iran is finalised in Islamabad, striking a confident tone as negotiations appear to move closer to conclusion. Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn before departing for campaign events in Nevada and Arizona, Trump said Iran had accepted “almost everything” being proposed in talks aimed at ending the conflict that erupted earlier this year. He added that while a US-Iran ceasefire is due to expire next week, he may not need to extend it if a permanent agreement is reached.
“If a deal is signed in Islamabad, I may go,” Trump said. “They want me.” Trump claimed, without presenting evidence, that Iran had agreed to surrender enriched uranium believed to be buried following US-Israeli airstrikes carried out last year. He reiterated his long-standing position that any agreement must result in Tehran fully abandoning its nuclear programme.
“We're going to see what happens, but I think we're very close to making a deal with Iran,” he said. Later in the day, addressing a gathering in Las Vegas, Trump suggested that the conflict could soon come to an end, telling supporters the war “should be ending pretty soon.”
ALSO READ: Israel, Lebanon Agree On 10-Day Ceasefire, Says Trump; Eyes 'Ending 10th War'
The war, which began on February 28 after a coordinated US-Israeli strike, has resulted in thousands of deaths and triggered sharp fluctuations in global oil prices, fuelling political and economic pressure on Washington.
Trump also revealed that he had held what he described as “excellent conversations” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. He said both leaders would be invited to the White House for what he called “meaningful talks.”
A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect on Thursday. Trump said he had tasked Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine with working alongside officials from Israel and Lebanon to secure a more durable peace arrangement.
Iran welcomed the Lebanon ceasefire, Iranian state media reported, quoting a Foreign Ministry spokesperson who said the development was part of a broader understanding with the United States, facilitated by Pakistan.
ALSO READ: Trump Warns Fighting Will Resume If No Deal; Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire Begins
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
