Washington DC [US], April 17: US PresidentDonald Trump says an agreement to end the war with Iran is within reach, even though a first round of talks with Tehran ended without apparent results over the weekend.
"We are very close to a deal," he told reporters at the White House before departing for Las Vegas.
Trump said he was ready to extend the current ceasefire, which is due to run out next week, if needed. He said he was considering travelling to Islamabad to sign a peace deal if one was reached. Pakistan hosted the first round of negotiations held last weekend that Vice President JD Vance attended.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said that Trump had assured him that he was "tremendously determined to continue the naval blockade [against Iran] and to bring about the dismantling of Iran's nuclear capability."
Meanwhile, United States Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has said the military blockade of Iran's ports will continue "as long as it takes", saying Washington remained "locked and loaded" to attack Iran's energy facilities.
Hegseth spoke on Thursday as a tenuous pause in fighting agreed to last week has continued. The defence secretary struck an aggressive tone as he maintained the US was monitoring Iran's military movements during the pause in fighting, which currently is meant to extend through early next week. "We are reloading with more power than ever before . even more importantly, better intelligence than ever before," Hegseth said.
"As you expose yourself with your movement to our watchful eye, we are locked and loaded on your critical dual-use infrastructure, on your remaining power generation and on your energy industry," he said.
Still, the Pentagon chief said the US would prefer to resolve the conflict, which began with US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, through diplomacy.
"You, Iran, can choose a prosperous future, a golden bridge, and we hope that you do for the people of Iran," he said.
"In the meantime and for as long as it takes, we will maintain this blockade, successful blockade, but if Iran chooses poorly, then they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure, power and energy."
Source: Qatar Tribune
