‘Perturbed’ with Netanyahu, Trump says he wants to meet Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei
Trump said that he was "perturbed" at Netanyahu's military escalation in Lebanon.
US President Donald Trump on Saturday reminded Iran that time is running out for the country to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning that “all hell will reign down” if Tehran didn’t make a deal in the next 48 hours.
“Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” the US President wrote on Truth Social.
Advertisement
The 10-day deadline set by Trump for Iran to make a deal or open the Strait of Hormuz ends on April 6. The ultimatum from the US President came amid massive troop buildup in the Middle East with Trump reportedly considering a ground invasion in Iran.
Advertisement
The US President has indicated he may order limited troop deployment in Iran to capture the Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil hub which handles around 90 per cent of the country’s oil exports.
Before the 10-day deadline, Trump had last month given Iran a 48-hour ultimatum to open the Hormuz Strait or the US will target its power plants and oil wells, potentially including desalination plants.
However, he backed down at the last moment and postponed the strikes after Iran warned it would target energy sites in the Gulf region if its power plants are targeted.
With Trump’s 10-day deadline approaching, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi earlier today signalled that Tehran is open to negotiating a peace deal with the United States.
In a post on X, Araghchi asserted that Iran’s position has been “misrepresented by US media.”
Araghchi thanked Pakistan for its diplomatic efforts and clarified that Iran had never refused to go to Islamabad for talks.
“What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting end to the illegal war imposed on us,” he added.
His remarks followed a US media report that the back-channel talks between the United States and Iran being mediated by Pakistan have hit a dead end.
The report by The Wall Street Journal claimed that Iran has formally told mediators that Tehran is unwilling to meet US officials in Islamabad in the coming days and considers US demands unacceptable.
Advertisement
