Trump says talks are moving forward while Iran warns against pressure tactics…reports Asian Lite News
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that talks with Iran had made significant progress and claimed Tehran was eager to strike a deal, even as Iranian officials pushed back against reports suggesting the two sides were close to a breakthrough agreement.
“They want to make a deal badly,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We’ve had very good talks over the last 24 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll make a deal.”
Trump dismissed suggestions that Iran remained defiant in the negotiations and insisted that diplomacy was still possible despite weeks of heightened tensions and military confrontation.
“Well, why do you say they refused to submit? You don’t know that,” he told a reporter.
The US President reiterated his long standing position that Tehran must never obtain nuclear weapons.
“They can’t have nuclear weapons, it’s very simple,” Trump said.
At the same time, Iran denied reports that fresh written exchanges had taken place between Tehran and Washington or that the two sides were nearing a one page agreement to end hostilities.
The semi official Fars news agency described recent media reports as “fabricated”, saying they were aimed at influencing global markets and pushing down oil prices rather than reflecting actual developments.
Fars, citing unnamed sources, said Iran had not yet responded to the latest US proposal delivered through Pakistan. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was still reviewing the American proposal and would respond after completing its assessment.
Last week, Iran reportedly sent a 14 point counterproposal to Washington through Pakistan in response to a nine point US plan outlining conditions for ending the conflict. Tehran later confirmed receiving a reply from Washington.
Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, rejected a report by Axios suggesting the sides were nearing a deal involving a suspension of uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief.
He said the report reflected “a US wish list rather than reality” and warned Iran would deliver a “harsh response” to any attack or provocation.
According to Axios, the proposed arrangement could include Iran suspending uranium enrichment for a period ranging from five to 20 years in exchange for easing US sanctions and reducing restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump also claimed Iran’s military capabilities had been severely weakened during the recent conflict.
“They had a Navy with 159 ships, and now every ship is blown to pieces and lying at the bottom of the water,” he said. “They had an Air Force, lots of planes, and they don’t have any planes.”
He further claimed Iran’s anti aircraft systems, radar capabilities and missile stockpiles had been “mostly decimated”.
“Their leaders are all dead. So, I think we won,” Trump said.
Despite the strong rhetoric, Trump argued that Iran would need decades to rebuild militarily if hostilities ended now and suggested that diplomacy remained the preferred route.
“If we left right now, Iran, it would take them 20 years to rebuild,” he said.
Asked whether he had set a deadline for negotiations with Tehran, Trump replied: “Never a deadline. It’ll happen.”
The President also defended the economic impact of the conflict, saying oil prices and US financial markets had remained more stable than expected.
“I thought oil prices would go to $200, $250,” Trump said. “It’s at $100 now.”
“The stock market is higher now than when we started this war,” he added.
Separately, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported widespread GPS disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz for a third consecutive day, with some marine tracking systems incorrectly showing ships appearing on land.
The United States and Israel carried out joint strikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities on February 28, triggering retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Iran against Israel and US interests in the region. A ceasefire took effect on April 8, though negotiations held in Islamabad on April 11 and 12 ended without an agreement.
