US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said negotiations with Iran were in their “final stages”, while warning that Washington could take tougher action if an agreement is not reached soon. Speaking to reporters, Trump said his administration was prepared to wait a few more days for what he called the “right answer” from Tehran, reported IANS.
“We’re in the final stages with Iran. We’ll see what happens,” Trump said, adding that the US still hopes to avoid further conflict. However, he also warned that failure to secure an agreement could lead to actions that would be “a little bit nasty.”
Trump rules out limited agreement with Tehran
Trump indicated that his administration is not interested in a temporary or partial arrangement with Iran. He dismissed the possibility of a limited agreement focused only on issues such as reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important shipping route in the Gulf region, reported IANS.
“We’re going to give this one shot,” Trump said, suggesting that Washington wants a broader and more permanent resolution to tensions with Tehran.
The US President also stressed that he was under no political pressure to finalise a deal quickly. Referring to upcoming American elections, Trump said he was “in no hurry” and would not rush negotiations for political reasons.
Turkey seen playing key role in negotiations
Trump also revealed that he had held what he described as a “very good” phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier in the day. Turkey has emerged as one of the countries involved in diplomatic efforts linked to the ongoing US-Iran negotiations, reported IANS.
Diplomatic channels involving regional powers have reportedly intensified in recent weeks amid fears of another military escalation in West Asia.
Iran issues warning against fresh military action
Meanwhile, tensions remain high despite ongoing diplomatic efforts. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned on Wednesday that any renewed aggression by the US or Israel would expand the conflict beyond the West Asia region.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi also issued a warning on social media, saying a return to war with Iran would bring “many more surprises” for the United States. He referred to a recent US Congressional report that reportedly acknowledged losses of military aircraft during the previous conflict.
Background of the recent conflict
The latest diplomatic push comes months after a major escalation between the two sides. On February 28, the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Tehran and several Iranian cities. The attacks reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with senior military officials and civilians.
Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli and American military bases and assets across the Middle East. A ceasefire was eventually reached on April 8.
Peace talks were later held in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, but negotiations failed to produce a breakthrough agreement. In recent days, both US and Israeli officials have renewed warnings of possible military action if talks collapse. Trump on Tuesday claimed that Iranian leaders were “begging” for a deal and cautioned that another US strike could happen within days if negotiations fail.
(With inputs from IANS)