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Trump warns of escalation if Iran deal fails, says US forces to remain deployed: 'Shootin' starts...'
Donald Trump also affirmed that the Strait of Hormuz will remain safe and open, and that Iran would not have nuclear weapons.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday warned Iran of escalation, saying that "bigger, better and stronger" shooting will begin if the two sides fail to reach a "real agreement".
Trump also stated that US forces will remain deployed in and around Iran until the time of finalisation of a real agreement.
His remarks come just a day after Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire of what was an aggressively escalating conflict in the Middle East. Follow US-Iran war ceasefire live updates
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, "All U.S. Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry, and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with."
"If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the “Shootin’ Starts,” bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before," he added.
Trump also stated that Iran would have no nuclear weapons, and affirmed that the Strait of Hormuz, the world's biggest oil chokepoint, would be open and safe.
"It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE. In the meantime our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest. AMERICA IS BACK!" the US President posted.
On Tuesday (local time), Trump announced on his Truth Social handle that he was pausing any strikes on Iran for two weeks, just 1.5 hours before his self-imposed deadline expired.
The US President also said it would be a "double-sided ceasefire", adding that it would be subject to the "complete reopening" of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran claims ‘victory’; US says Tehran ‘begged’
Iran's Supreme National Security Council also announced that Tehran accepted the two-week truce, but contradicted Trump's statement on the Hormuz issue.
“Iran achieved a historic victory by forcing the criminal US to accept its 10-point plan. The US has accepted Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz, enrichment rights, and removal of all sanctions,” Mehr News Agency quoted the council as saying.
ALSO READ | Inside the 10 Iran demands that US ‘accepted’ to get the 2-week ceasefire
While Iran called the ceasefire a major victory after the US accepted, in principle, its 10-point plan, according to the Iran Council's statement.
Detailing the conditions of the ceasefire and upcoming talks, the statement of the national security council said, "“These negotiations will begin in Islamabad with complete distrust of the American side, and Iran will allocate two weeks for these negotiations. This time can be extended by agreement of the parties. It is necessary to maintain complete national unity during this period and to continue the celebrations of victory with strength.."
However, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth claimed that Iran "begged for a ceasefire".
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Speaking at a press briefing, Hegseth said, "Operation Epic Fury was a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield. Iran begged for this ceasefire, and we all know it."
Hegseth stated that the US had achieved its war aims, including destroying Iran's ballistic missile capabilities, sinking the Islamic Republic's navy and bombing its defence industrial base.
Israel strikes Hezbollah; Iran shuts Hormuz
While the US-Iran ceasefire took effect, Israel continued to bomb sites related to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. The fighting began after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel.
The Israeli army said that its actions were aimed at destroying Hezbollah's military infrastructure and pushing its fighters away from the border. Israeli officials also made it clear that they planned to continue strikes in Lebanon even after a ceasefire deal with Iran.
As a result of the Israeli strikes on Hezbollah, Iran once again closed the Strait of Hormuz.
