Trump said Iran is “dying to make a deal” to stop the fighting which is paused at the moment, and he pretty much said that there won’t be any more attacks from the air. He made these statements from the Oval Office, and at the same time Tehran said it will attack again if the US breaks the ceasefire which started on April 8th.
Oval Office remarks
Trump spoke Thursday afternoon and didn’t seem to be in any hurry to start fighting again. When asked if he was getting impatient to end the ceasefire, he said “I don’t know that we need it.”
He also said the conversations happening are very private. He stated that he and only a few other people know what is being discussed in the negotiations, and he hopes that everything can be “worked out very soon.”
Claims on Iran’s military and economy
Trump says that the military actions taken previously have greatly weakened Iran. He claims that Iran’s navy and air force have been destroyed, and that the attacks were aimed at where Iran makes drones and missiles.
Trump advanced a series of dramatic assessments:
– Navy is gone
– Air force is gone
– Drone factories 82 percent down
– Missile factories almost 90 percent down
– Nuclear capacity obliterated
– No oil revenue due to blockade
Trump believes Iran’s economy is failing because of the US stopping ships from going through the Strait of Hormuz. He said, “They’re not getting any money from oil,” and added that this pressure is pushing Iran towards an agreement. It wasn’t possible to confirm these things from what Trump said.
Ceasefire context and risks
The fighting has stopped because both sides agreed to a ceasefire on April 8th. Iran has said it will attack again if the US starts fighting again.
Trump’s way of speaking made it clear he’d prefer to continue the ceasefire. He said he doesn’t think the ceasefire needs to be broken, and he repeatedly said Iran wants a deal.
Tariff diplomacy and India-Pakistan claim
Trump took this opportunity to mention again that he “settled eight wars” simply by threatening to impose tariffs. He mentioned receiving thank you letters from leaders and said using the threat of tariffs stops wars.
He mentioned India and Pakistan, saying he helped stop a large conflict last year by warning them both about tariffs. He said the Prime Minister of Pakistan told him he had saved 30 to 50 million people.
Trump also said that two countries with nuclear weapons were fighting, eleven planes were shot down, and the problem was fixed in its first week because of his tariff threat. India has always said that no one from outside the country helped with its relationship with Pakistan.
What comes next
Right now, the ceasefire is what is keeping things stable. Trump says that very few people know the specifics of the talks, and Iran has warned it will react if the ceasefire is broken.
All eyes are on whether the ceasefire will last and if secret conversations will lead to an official agreement. Trump has said he doesn’t plan to start air strikes again, and believes the pressure has already done what it was meant to do.
