Iran ’s new leadership has asked the US for ceasefire, Donald Trump has claimed.
The US President said he is considering the proposal but that his forces would continue “blasting Iran into oblivion” until the Strait of Hormuz reopens.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Mr Trump wrote: "Iran's New Regime President, much less Radicalized and far more intelligent than his predecessors, has just asked the United States of America for a ceasefire!
“We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear.
Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!
President DJT.”
It comes ahead of Mr Trump plan to give an “important update on Iran” in a national address at 9pm EDT on Wednesday (2am BST on Thursday).
The President signalled he will end his war with Iran “soon” - even if Tehran fails to agree to a deal.
“We’ll be leaving very soon,” he told reporters at the White House on Tuesday night, adding that the exit could take place “within two weeks, maybe two weeks, maybe three.”
Asked if successful diplomacy was a prerequisite for the US to end what it calls Operation Epic Fury, Mr Trump said it was not.
“Iran doesn’t have to make a deal, no,” he said.
The comments triggered a fall in the price of oil, with a barrel of Brent Crude dropping from $119 to below $104 in 45 minutes.
Washington had previously threatened to intensify operations if Tehran did not accept a 15-point US ceasefire framework that had among its core demands that Iran commit not to pursue nuclear weapons, halt all uranium enrichment and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Mr Trump on Wednesday also revealed that he is strongly considering pulling the United States after the conflict in the Middle East.
The US President described the military alliance as a “paper tiger” and said he had long held doubts about its credibility .
“Oh yes, I would say [it’s] beyond reconsideration,” Mr Trump told the Telegraph when asked whether he would reconsider the US’s Nato membership after the Middle East conflict.
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“I was never swayed by Nato.
I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.”
In a press conference this morning, Sir Keir Starmer dismissed the comments as “noise”.
The Prime Minister said he would act in the British national interest “whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise” as he vowed the UK would pursue closer ties with European nations .
Asked about Mr Trump’s remarks on the transatlantic military alliance, Sir Keir said: “Firstly, Nato is the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen, and it has kept us safe for many decades, and we are fully committed to Nato.
“Secondly, that whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise, I'm going to act in the British national interest in all the decisions that I make.
“And that's why I've been absolutely clear that this is not our war and we're not going to get dragged into it.
“But I'm equally clear that, when it comes to defence and security and our economic future, we have to have closer ties with Europe.
That's why we had the summit last year.
“This year, as I've just announced, there'll be a further summit.
There, we will make good on equipment that we put in place last year, but we will also go further in relation to the alignment.”
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Source: This article was originally published by Evening Standard
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