Trump: Still Too Soon to Declare Iran Peace
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that it is still “too soon” to prepare for direct peace talks with Iran, despite reports that Washington and Tehran are moving closer to a possible framework to end their 67-day war.
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that it is still “too soon” to prepare for direct peace talks with Iran, despite reports that Washington and Tehran are moving closer to a possible framework to end their 67-day war.
Speaking to the New York Post, Trump was asked whether the paper should prepare to send a reporter back to Pakistan for a new round of negotiations after sources in Islamabad said a tentative deal was close. “I don’t think so,” Trump said.
“I think we’ll do it, it’s too far,” he added. “No, it’s too much.”
The comments came shortly after Trump wrote on Truth Social that the war could end if Iran accepts the terms currently under discussion. He said that if Tehran agrees to “give what has been agreed to,” then Operation Epic Fury would come to an end and the US blockade would allow the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened to all shipping, including Iranian vessels.
Trump also warned that if Iran rejects the arrangement, the US bombing campaign would resume at a higher level of intensity than before.
The president’s comments appeared to temper expectations of an imminent in-person meeting or signing ceremony, even as he continued to suggest that negotiations had made progress. Trump had previously said he would be willing to travel to Pakistan to sign a formal agreement, citing the role of Pakistan’s defense chief, Asim Munir, in mediating between Washington and Tehran.
Pakistan has served as a key intermediary in the effort to end the conflict, which began after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran and Tehran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz. The closure of the waterway has disrupted global energy markets and drawn repeated warnings about the broader economic impact of the war.
On Tuesday, Trump announced a pause in Project Freedom, the US naval mission escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz, saying there had been “great progress” in talks with Iran. The blockade of Iranian ports remains in place.
Trump’s latest remarks indicate that while the administration may see a possible diplomatic path, it is not yet ready to commit to direct talks or a final meeting. The president ended the call Wednesday morning by saying he had an appointment with “the generals.”