One day after Iran deal breakthrough, Trump taps brakes, says peace negotiators shouldn’t rush
by Mike Glenn · The Washington TimesPresident Trump on Sunday defended a potential peace deal with Iran that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and see the regime agree to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, though he said he told representatives “not to rush into a deal.”
The president’s more cautious tone came after Republican hawks who have backed the war on Iran blasted a proposed peace agreement, touted by Mr. Trump a day earlier, that reportedly leaves the Islamic regime in power while also offering Tehran sanctions relief.
Mr. Trump said negotiations were “proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner,” and the relationship with Iran was becoming “much more professional and productive.”
The potential agreement would not be signed Sunday, a person familiar with the status of negotiations told the Associated Press. The sides have seemed close to an agreement in recent weeks only to falter.
Mr. Trump said his peace plan shouldn’t be compared to the Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, widely known as the Iran Nuclear Deal, and derided by Mr. Trump as “one of the worst deals ever made by our country.”
“I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal, in that time is on our side,” Mr. Trump wrote Sunday on Truth Social. “The blockade will remain in full force until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed.”
A senior U.S. official told reporters Sunday that Washington and Tehran have agreed “in principle” to a deal that would bring the war in the Middle East to a close once Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz and commits to disposing of its highly-enriched uranium.
Mr. Trump said Iran “Must understand … that they cannot develop or procure a nuclear weapon or bomb.”
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his administration will guarantee that it isn’t pursuing nuclear weapons or advocating regional instability, though he stopped short of confirming reports that Iran would give up the country’s enriched uranium — a key Trump demand.
“Iran’s position has remained consistent, emphasizing that Tehran is prepared to provide guarantees that its nuclear program is peaceful and that the country has no intention of creating unrest in the Middle East,” he said, according to the state-owned Mehr News Agency.
Mr. Pezeshkian told state TV they were ready “to assure the world that we are not after a nuclear weapon.”
Mr. Pezeshkian accused Israel or fueling tensions across the region, saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “exploits every opportunity to keep conflict and instability alive.”
On Sunday, Mr. Netanyahu said he spoke with the White House about the memorandum of understanding to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the upcoming negotiations toward a final agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.
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“President Trump and I agreed that any final agreement with Iran must eliminate the nuclear danger. That means dismantling Iran’s nuclear enrichment sites and removing its enriched nuclear material from its territory,” Mr. Netanyahu said on X. “President Trump also has reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself from threats on every front, including Lebanon.”
The strait’s reopening would ease a worldwide energy crisis sparked by the U.S. and Israeli bombardment of Iran on Feb. 28, which led Tehran to effectively close the waterway. Prices have spiked for oil, gas and related products. Experts say it would take several weeks or even months for shipping and prices to recover once the strait reopens.
The U.S. has blockaded Iranian ports for over a month.
Some of Mr. Trump’s biggest allies on Capitol Hill urged the administration to rethink the deal.
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“If the result of all that is to be an Iranian regime — still run by the Islamics who chant ‘death to America’ — now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium and develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake,” Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Republican, wrote on Twitter.
The potential agreement doesn’t address Iran’s supply of missiles, nor does it require a moratorium on future uranium enrichment. Those issues would be addressed in future negotiations, the New York Times reported, citing a senior U.S. official.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio pushed back against fellow Republicans.
“The idea that somehow this president, given everything he’s already proven he’s willing to do, is going to somehow agree to a deal that ultimately winds up putting Iran in a stronger position when it comes to nuclear ambitions is absurd. That’s just not going to happen,” Mr. Rubio said Sunday while on a four-day diplomatic trip to India. “Our preference is to address this through diplomatic means, and that’s what we’re endeavoring to do.”
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About 6,000 ships have been blocked from passing through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of Operation Epic fury, the U.S. mission to prevent Iran from possessing nuclear weapons.
NATO allies like the U.K. opted not to join the U.S. in its conflict with Iran. Some have offered to take part in mine-sweeping operations in the Strait of Hormuz once hostilities end.
Iran could have peppered the strategic chokepoint with a “huge” variety of sea mines, said Royal Navy Commander Gemma Britton, who is in charge of the Royal Navy’s Mine and Threat Exploitation Group. The bombs could sit on the seabed or be chained to the seabed to float in place, where they would be triggered by sound, movement, or light.
Pakistan President Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Mr. Trump on his “extraordinary efforts to pursue peace” and for hosting a “very useful and productive” conference call with leaders from countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, the UAE, and Jordan.
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“The discussions provided a useful opportunity to exchange views on the current regional situation and how to move the ongoing peace efforts forward during the entire process,” Mr. Sharif wrote on X.
This article is based in part on wire service reports.
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