Iran deal was ‘largely negotiated,’ Trump says

The US president also said he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a “separate” call. The American media have reported, in recent days, divergent strategies between Donald Trump and his Israeli ally, the first pushing for a diplomatic solution while the second would like to resume fighting.

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Earlier this Saturday, Donald Trump had estimated the chances of a “good” agreement or a resumption of war at “50-50”, in statements to the Axios media.

The spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs assured him that the trend was towards “rification” with American positions. “This does not necessarily mean that we and the United States will reach an agreement on important issues,” Esmaïl Baghaï stressed, however.

“Thickening”

The spokesperson clarified that the nuclear issue was not part “at this stage” of the agreement under discussion, unlike the lifting of the naval blockade imposed by the United States and the question of the Strait of Hormuz, de facto blocked by Iran since Start of the war launched by the United States and Israel on February 28.

According to CBS News, citing sources close to the discussions, the latest proposal would include freezing some Iranian assets in banks abroad and continuing negotiations for another 30 days.

The apparent breakthrough came after weeks of blockades and threats.

Again this Saturday, the main Iranian negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, promised a “crushing” response if the United States resumed its war against Iran, in the wake of information from American media on the fact that President Trump was considering new strikes against Tehran.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf spoke after a meeting with the head of the Pakistani army, Marshal Asim Munir, who came to the Iranian capital as part of Islamabad’s mediation efforts.

« Solutions pacifiques »

After more than a month of war which left thousands dead and shook the world economy, a ceasefire has been in force since April 8 between Iran and the United States.

Diplomatic contacts have increased in recent hours in the Gulf to try to bring the discussions to a successful conclusion and avoid a resumption of the war. During the call with Donald Trump, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, notably urged to “prioritize peaceful solutions,” according to his office.

Qatar, like other Gulf petromonarchies allied with the United States, was targeted by Iranian retaliatory fire on its territory during the first weeks of the war.

Donald Trump is looking for a way out of this unpopular war in his country, which has seriously disrupted the world economy. A fifth of the crude oil and liquefied natural gas consumed worldwide passed through the Strait of Hormuz before the conflict.

“Ni guerre ni paix”

While Iran and the United States have been exchanging threats for weeks, Iranians do not hide their weariness.

“The state of ‘neither war nor peace’ is far worse than war itself. We can’t even plan something as simple as joining a gym – let alone more important projects,” laments Shahrzad, a 39-year-old housewife, reached by telephone from Paris.

On the Lebanese front, the Israeli army announced this Saturday that one of its soldiers had been killed the day before near the border on the Israeli side, bringing to 22 the number of deaths in its ranks since the start of the war with the Pro-Iranian Hezbollah.

The Lebanese army for its part indicated that an Israeli strike had targeted a barracks in the south of the country this Saturday, injuring a soldier, at a time when Israel is increasing raids and calls to evacuate in several villages despite the ceasefire that has come into force. on April 17.

Hezbollah said this Saturday that a message from Iran showed that it would not abandon the pro-Iranian Lebanese movement. The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry told him that his country gave priority to “the end of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon”.