WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has announced that the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel will be extended by three weeks.
Speaking to journalists at the White House, Trump confirmed the decision, stating, “We are ready to work with Lebanon to ensure they remain safe from Hezbollah.”
The president also mentioned that he looks forward to hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Michel Aoun to discuss further steps in stabilizing the region.
Trump to Iran: Make the deal and we’ll open the Strait of Hormuz
Moreover, the President of the United States, Donald Trump has made an offer to Iran, saying that the country is getting another opportunity to reach an even more favourable deal that will help in reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Addressing the media at the White House, Trump said that he is willing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the benefit of Iran if they manage to find common ground for an agreement. The US President stressed that Iran cannot do any business since the access to the strait is blocked, which has led to severe economic consequences for the country.
Additionally, he pointed out that the situation in Iran is very confusing. “We really do not know what to expect from them because a lot is going on there. But yes, we have already achieved 75% of our goals,” he said.
Furthermore, Trump noted that Iran had enough time to restore their military power during the two-week ceasefire. Nevertheless, he added that the US military still has the power to end the war within one day.
Moreover, President Trump also made a bold statement regarding Iran’s nuclear weapons program when he said that America will never use nuclear weapons against Iran during their interactions.
“We Americans will be compelled to pay higher prices for gasoline and oil for a period of time,” he further added, highlighting the ongoing negotiations and economic issues regarding the ongoing conflict.
It seems like an important step forward in this ongoing conflict, and perhaps both parties are now on the verge of coming to a very historic agreement.
White House: Trump to decide ceasefire timing with Iran, no set deadline
Earlier, White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt has denied any allegations concerning a possible deadline that President Trump had given for reaching a ceasefire deal with the US’s adversaries.
According to Leavitt, the reports were untrue, and President Trump had not set a particular period within which he expected a ceasefire deal with Iran. In her address, she added that the President’s decision on the timing would be left at the discretion of the Commander-in-Chief. According to her, the President had only given Iran some time within which they had to agree to reach some sort of agreement while maintaining a temporary ceasefire.
The US government was now waiting for a response from Iran on the same, since it expects them to give a unified response to continue with the ceasefire. With regards to the military operation, Karoline pointed out that the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz is satisfactory for President Trump since the economic pressure forced them to the negotiating table.
