WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has announced that the ongoing conflict with Iran is nearing its end, with peace talks expected to resume soon between the two nations. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Fox News, Trump stated that after a two-week ceasefire, tensions had significantly decreased and that conditions were improving.
“With two weeks of ceasefire, we can note a clear reduction in tensions. Things are getting better, and hopefully, this war will come to an end in the near future,” said the president.
Despite expressing optimism in ending the war with Iran, the US President explained that even if the conflict comes to an end soon, the country has not yet left it behind. According to Trump, assuming there is an end to the ongoing fighting, Iran will require at least several years before it can rebuild its infrastructure.
“If we cease our operations, it will take Iran several years to rebuild and improve their infrastructure,” he noted.
President Trump further added that it could take up to 20 years for Iran to rebuild itself after the recent conflicts, adding that even as the war continues, Iran is serious about striking a deal with the US.
“Iran is likely serious about coming to an agreement, and in the coming days, we will see more clarity on this,” Trump said.
Trump’s comments come amidst growing speculation that a new round of negotiations could soon take place, following the relative success of the ceasefire and the ongoing diplomatic engagement between the US and Iran.
JD Vance: US-Iran negotiations will take time amid ongoing mistrust
Earlier, US Vice President JD Vance admitted that mistrust between Washington and Tehran would take some time to dispel. “Forty-nine years of mistrust cannot be undone overnight,” said Vance, addressing a crowd during a speech held at the University of Georgia.
Discussing the current state of affairs in the US-Iran talks, the US vice president noted that despite all of the steps taken on both sides, a full-fledged agreement had not been achieved yet. At the same time, Vance admitted that the Iranian authorities are well aware of the intentions of the American side.
“They know that President Trump has tasked me to have these talks because he believes in a comprehensive agreement,” Vance said. “President Trump does not want a small deal – he wants a big deal with Iran.”
The US vice president noted that in addition to Iran’s military nuclear program, its active involvement in international terrorism should be tackled as well.
“We want to see an arrangement that would ensure that Iran doesn’t have nuclear weapons in its possession and it stops financing terrorist activities,” Vance further stated. “It is time to reach an agreement that would work out fine for both Iran and the international community.”
According to Vance, while some progress has been achieved, an agreement still hasn’t been reached. He noted that the deal which the US seeks would enable Iran’s citizens to become part of the global economy, thus leading to the normalization of relations between Iran and the US.
“As President Donald Trump sees it, the agreement must work not only for the sake of our country, but for the sake of the whole international community,” Vance explained. “Iranian people need to have the ability to reap the benefits of being engaged in the global economy, and once this state achieves a state of normalcy, we will start treating Iran like any other country around the world.”
Despite the challenges, Vance was cautiously optimistic regarding the current situation with the negotiations.
“At the moment I feel optimistic,” he noted. “The ceasefire holds and we are going forward with talks that hopefully will bring us peace.”
US-Iran peace talks: Iran confirms Pakistan as top venue for next round
Meanwhile, Iranian officials have confirmed their willingness to engage in a second round of negotiations with the United States, expressing that Pakistan would be their preferred venue for the talks.
Rumours about the upcoming round of US-Iran negotiations, expected to take place in Islamabad, have been circulating rapidly in recent days. In an interview with Geo News, Iranian authorities stated they are prepared for discussions, but the other side’s stance remains unclear.
“We are ready for the talks; however, we need confirmation from the other side. In case the second round of talks comes through, Islamabad will be our preferred venue for the talks,” the Iranian official said.
Reuters reports that the US delegation may visit Pakistan to continue the peace talks in Islamabad within the coming week. Furthermore, a representative of the Iranian embassy in Pakistan told Reuters that the second round of talks might occur by the end of this week or at the beginning of the following week.
It was previously reported by US news agencies that Pakistan had offered the venue for the second round of talks between the two nations. According to the report, the talks may take place by Thursday.
