In an evening interview on Fox News, the American president stated, “I think it’s almost over,” assuring that Iranian authorities “really want to reach an agreement.”
Donald Trump also mentioned a possible resumption of discussions with Iran as early as this week in Pakistan. “Something could happen in the next two days,” he told a journalist from the New York Post.
Last weekend, an initial round of discussions with American Vice President JD Vance failed, but did not lead to a rupture in the ceasefire that has been in effect since April 8th.
Despite this, Washington increased pressure on Tehran on Monday by implementing a blockade on transit to and from Iranian ports.
American forces have completely halted Iranian maritime trade, with approximately “90% of the Iranian economy” dependent on it, according to the Head of US forces in the region, Brad Cooper.
Negotiators from the US may return to Islamabad this week for discussions, said Mr. Trump, who praised the mediation efforts of the Pakistani army chief, Asim Munir.
High-ranking Pakistani sources confirmed that Islamabad is seeking to restart talks.
On Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a resumption of “serious negotiations.” He emphasized that there is no military solution to the crisis.
Despite the impact of the double blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, where 20% of global oil and LNG normally pass through, markets appear hopeful for a resolution as oil prices dropped below $95 per barrel on Wednesday after a sharp decrease on Tuesday.
During his visit to Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping, reassured that Russia is ready to “compensate” for energy deficits experienced by China and other countries due to the war.
In other developments, Israel and Lebanon agreed on Tuesday to start direct negotiations for a lasting peace following discussions between the ambassadors to Washington of both countries, the first of their kind since 1993.
The American diplomacy clarified that the date and location of the negotiations are yet to be decided.
“We discovered today that we (Israel and Lebanon) are on the same page,” said Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter. He added, “We are both united in our desire to free Lebanon from the pro-Iranian Shiite movement Hezbollah.”
The Lebanese ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad described Tuesday’s “preparatory meeting” as “constructive” and called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
While the Iranian front experiences a lull, Lebanon is not part of the truce according to Israel, which continues to strike Hezbollah and has not withdrawn from the southern part of the country.
The pro-Iranian movement, absent from the meeting, referred to the discussions as “surrender” and claimed responsibility for rocket attacks towards thirteen Israeli border locations as they began.
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war in early March when the Shiite movement targeted Israel to support Iran against the Israeli-American offensive. Israel then launched a military operation in Lebanese territory.
Since then, over 2,000 people have been killed in Lebanon in Israeli strikes, and around one million have been displaced, which represents approximately one fifth of the population, according to the UN.
On the Israeli side, the army reported a total of thirteen soldiers killed in Lebanon. Ten were wounded in clashes in the city of Bint Jbeil on Tuesday.
burx/phs/lgo Source: AFP
