President Donald Trump insisted on a legitimate 20-year assurance of no nuclear activity from Iran, and hinted at possible action to get the Strait of Hormuz opened.
Speaking during an Air Force gaggle while traveling from Beijing to Washington, Trump revealed that he had dismissed Iran’s latest proposal after reading the initial sentence, which he deemed “unacceptable.” He stressed that he would only consider the rest of the proposal if Iran agrees to a total nuclear prohibition.
Responding to the reporter’s suggestion that a 20-year ban might not be enough, Trump clarified that it would be sufficient, as long as it is a “real 20 years”.
When questioned if Chinese President Xi Jinping had pledged to pressure Iran to reopen the Straight of Hormuz, Trump stated that he wasn’t seeking any assistance.
“I’m not asking for any favors because when you ask for favors, you have to do favors in return. We don’t need favors,” said the President.
He maintained that the U.S. has effectively neutralized Iran’s military forces. He also referred to a successful naval blockade and a month-long ceasefire, initiated at the request of other nations, notably Pakistan. However, he said that the U.S. may have to do “a little cleanup work” after an almost month-long ceasefire.
War Fears Reignited
Trump’s remarks on Iran come amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Analysts had warned of a potential market disruption next week if Trump’s visit to China failed to result in a breakthrough in Iran. Thierry Wizman from Macquarie said strong stock market performance could give Trump the confidence to reconsider military strikes on Iran, a scenario analysts dubbed “SALSA” — “Stocks are lifting, so attack.”
According to a report, earlier this week, the U.S. military was contemplating renaming the war with Iran to “Operation Sledgehammer”, indicating a possible resumption of major combat operations if the current ceasefire failed.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged BRICS nations to help stop the war and condemn what he called illegal actions by the U.S. and Israel, warning that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could slow the global economy. Speaking at the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, he accused both countries of violating international law through attacks on Iran.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock
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