US President Donald Trump has said that he has told his representatives not to rush into any deal with Iran, as his administration played down hopes of an imminent breakthrough in the 3-month old war.
Mr. Trump further said that any future deal with Iran under his administration would involve no financial concessions and would be fundamentally different from the agreement reached during former US President Barack Obama’s tenure. He also criticised the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal and claimed his proposed agreement would prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons and the deal will differ from the one crafted by former US President Barack Obama.
According to US media, the deal under discussion involves a 60-day ceasefire extension, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and further negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme. The mooted deal has split Republicans, with some publicly arguing it is too lenient on Iran. Senator Ted Cruz said it would be a disastrous mistake, while Roger Wicker, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, said a 60-day ceasefire would mean everything accomplished by Operation Epic Fury would be for naught.
The US and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran on 28 February, sparking conflict across West Asia. Iran responded by launching attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf.
