US President Donald Trump has announced that the president of the new Iranian government has formally requested a ceasefire from the United States.
In a statement released on the social media platform Truth Social, President Trump expressed optimism about the change in Iranian leadership, noting that the new president is less extremist and more intelligent than the previous rulers. He indicated that the United States will seriously consider the request for a ceasefire.
However, President Trump has imposed strict conditions for the ceasefire. He clarified that progress on the request will only occur once the Strait of Hormuz is fully opened and maritime traffic there is safe.
In earlier comments to the media, he stated that the United States plans to exit the Iran war within the next two to three weeks and mentioned the possibility of reaching a major deal before that timeframe.
The US President emphasised that his goal is not regime change in Iran, but rather to ensure that Iran does not develop a nuclear bomb.
He also issued a strong message to European countries and China, stating that if France or any other nation wants oil and gas, they should go through the Strait of Hormuz to obtain it themselves.
He made it clear that the United States will no longer take responsibility for the safety of its ships and that other countries, including China, must now defend their own interests.
