Tehran yesterday said it had not reached a final decision on a deal to end the Middle East war, despite US President Donald Trump claiming an agreement could be signed in days and canceling threatened strikes on Iran.
Talks with Iran had been “brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved,” Trump said, so he had “cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening.”
“Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly,” he added.
Photo: Reuters
The finer points of the arrangement had been approved by the US and its allies in the region, including Israel, Trump said.
However, Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran “had not reached a final conclusion on the agreement.”
“Most of the text of the agreement was finalized, but the problem began when the US side made new demands and changed its positions,” he added.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency said Trump had announced a deal was imminent 38 times over the past two months.
“Until Iran announces the matter of a potential understanding, any news from Trump on this subject should be regarded the same as his previous messaging,” it said.
Later, Trump doubled down, telling reporters “I understand the answer is yes,” when asked if Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei had approved the deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the leader spoke to Trump, who vowed any memorandum of understanding would include the removal of Tehran’s enriched nuclear material and dismantling of missile infrastructure.
Trump’s statement suggested back-channel mediation led by US allies such as Pakistan and Qatar might have borne fruit.
“Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel” and Gulf states, he posted.
Egypt said the US and Iran should seize an “available opportunity” for a deal to end the war, after Trump canceled the threatened new strikes on Iran.
With US threats escalating, Iranian General Ali Abdollahi warned earlier in the day that if the US attacked, “it will receive a harsher response than before, and the flames of war, in addition to creating insecurity in the region, will become more widespread and far-reaching.”
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