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US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that negotiations with Iran were in the final stages, while warning of further attacks unless Iran agrees to a deal.
Six weeks since Trump paused Operation Epic Fury for a ceasefire, talks to end the war have shown little progress so far. Trump has said this week that he came close to ordering more attacks, but held off to allow more time for negotiations.
“We’re in the final stages of Iran. We’ll see what happens. Either have a deal, or we’re going to do some things that are a little bit nasty, but hopefully that won’t happen,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
“We’re going to give this one shot. I’m in no hurry,” Trump said. “Ideally, I’d like to see few people killed, as opposed to a lot. We can do it either way.”
Speaking later at the US Coast Guard Academy, Trump reprised his either/or rhetoric — “We may have to hit them very hard… but maybe not” — and reiterated his determination not to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.
Tehran, for its part, accused Trump of plotting to restart the war and threatened to retaliate for any strikes with attacks beyond the Middle East.
“If aggression against Iran is repeated, the promised regional war will extend beyond the region this time,” the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s top negotiator at peace talks, said in an audio message released on social media that “obvious and hidden moves by the enemy” showed the Americans were preparing new attacks.
Trump has said he called off attacks this week at the last minute in response to requests from several of Iran’s Gulf neighbours. On Tuesday, he said he had been an hour away from ordering strikes.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan welcomed what he said was a decision by Trump to allow more time for diplomacy.
Trump is under pressure to end the war, with soaring energy prices hurting his Republican Party ahead of congressional elections in November. Since the ceasefire, his public comments have veered from threats to restart bombing to declarations that a peace deal was at hand, sometimes in the same breath.
The fluctuating US stances have sent oil prices bouncing from hour to hour and day to day, though on a clear upward trend week by week. Benchmark one-month Brent crude futures eased about 2.75% on Wednesday morning to near $108 a barrel.
