E-Paper
Donald Trump could make announcement on Iran nuclear deal in ‘next two days’
Donald Trump highlighted that in the talks between the US and Iran over the weekend, there was some "real and serious" progress.
After holding "some very good talks with Iran", US President Donald Trump on Sunday suggested that an announcement could come regarding the nuclear program deal in the "next two days".
Trump told reporters in northern New Jersey, "We've had some very, very good talks with Iran. And I don't know if I'll be telling you anything good or bad over the next two days, but I have a feeling I might be telling you something good."
‘Love to see no bombs dropped’
He highlighted that in the talks between the US and Iran over the weekend, there was some "real and serious" progress, The Associated Press reported.
"I’d love that to happen, because I’d love to see no bombs dropped, and a lot of people dead,” he said, adding that, "Let's see what happens, but I think we could have some good news on the Iran front."
Trump was reportedly more upbeat than the Omani mediator of the negotiations between the US and Iran. On Friday, the mediator said the two nations made "some but not compulsive" progress in the fifth round of talks in Rome.
ALSO READ | Iran-US nuclear talks: Key points of contention
Representing the US at the talks were Trump's Mideast Steve Witkoff and State Department's policy planning director Michael Anton.
The US and Iran are discussing ways to curb the latter's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some economic sanctions the US imposed on the Islamic Republic.
US-Iran nuclear talks
Trump had revived his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran ever since he returned to office in January this year, supporting negotiations but warning against the failure of diplomacy.
Iran, meanwhile, wanted and still wants a new deal that would help ease the American sanctions that battered its economy, news agency AFP reported.
The negotiations come ahead of a meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog, the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in June, wherein Iran's nuclear activities will be reviewed.
The 2015 accord is also set to expire in October. The agreement aimed at allaying the US and European Union's suspicions that Iran was seeking nuclear weapons capability.
However, the accord was thrown out in 2018 when Trump took charge of the White House, unilaterally withdrawing the US from it and reimposing sanctions.
A year later, Iran witnessed a ramping up of its nuclear activities. As of now, Iran is enriching uranium to 60 per cent, which is far above the deal's 3.67 per cent cap but below the 90 per cent level needed for a nuclear warhead.
