Trump heads into Situation Room meeting to decide on Iran deal
by Lisa Hornung · UPIMay 29 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is meeting in the Situation Room of the White House with his national security team to make a final decision on whether he will approve an extended cease-fire with Iran.
"I will be meeting now, in the Situation Room, to make a final determination," Trump said in a Truth Social post after listing some demands.
It wasn't clear from his post which of his demands are already part of the memorandum of understanding delivered by negotiators on Thursday.
Trump laid out his list of demands in the social media post.
"Iran must agree that they will never have a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb. The Hormuz Strait must be immediately open, no tolls, for unrestricted shipping traffic, in both directions. All water mines (bombs), if any, will be terminated (we have removed, through detonation, numerous such mines with our great underwater mine sweepers. Iran will complete the immediate removal and/or detonation of any mines that are left, which will not be many!). Ships caught in the Strait [of Hormuz] due to our amazing and unprecedented Naval Blockade, which will now be lifted, may start the process of 'heading home!'" he wrote.
"The enriched material, sometimes referred to as 'Nuclear Dust,' which is buried deep underground with virtually collapsed mountains, caused by our powerful B2 Bomber attack 11 months ago, sitting on top of it, will be unearthed by the United States (which, it is agreed, is the only Country, along with China, with the mechanical capability of doing so!), in close coordination and conjunction with the Islamic Republic of Iran, plus the International Atomic Energy Agency, and DESTROYED. No money will be exchanged, until further notice."
Oil prices fell after Trump's post, CNBC reported.
But Iranian state news agency Fars News said that Trump's post, "raised issues that contradict the provisions of the agreement's text."
Fars said in a Telegram post, CNBC reported, that the Strait of Hormuz being open and toll-free isn't in the agreement, citing "informed sources." It also said there's no mention of Iran dismantling or destroying nuclear materials.
Fars said the agreement's "most important part" is "the immediate payment of $12 billion of Iran's frozen assets." The news outlet said Iran will refuse any further negotiations unless that payment is made.
Vice President JD Vance told reporters on Thursday that the administration is "very close" to a deal.
"There are a couple of issues on the nuclear stuff, the highly enriched stockpile and also the question of enrichment. We do think they're negotiating, at least so far, in good faith, and we're making some progress," Vance told reporters Thursday at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
Trump has repeatedly said that Iran must dispose of its enriched Uranium, but Iranian leaders have called it non-negotiable.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump participate in a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Wednesday. Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo