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Iran war to be over? Trump says Epic Fury will end if Tehran agrees to US demands
However, Donald Trump that if Iran doesn't agree, then the bombing will begin again, and this time, "at a much higher level and intensity" than before.
Amid heightening hopes of an end to the Iran war, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that Washington's Operation Epic Fury will end if Tehran agrees to his demands, saying that it could be a "big assumption".
In a post on Truth Social, Trump also said that with the end of the US's operation, the naval blockade on Iran will also allow the Strait of Hormuz -- a crucial oil chokepoint -- to be "open to all". Follow US-Iran war live updates
However, he warned that if Iran doesn't agree to the US's demands, then the bombing will begin again, and this time, "at a much higher level and intensity" than before.
His post read: “Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran. If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
A day ago, Trump said that 'Project Freedom' -- a move he said is aimed at the free movement of ships through the Hormuz Strait -- will be paused for a short period of time to see whether an agreement with Iran can be finalised and signed.
US-Iran close to agree to one-page memo: Report
The White House is reportedly getting close to an agreement with Iran on a one-page memo to end the ongoing war in the Middle East and lay down a framework for more detailed negotiations on Tehran's nuclear programme.
The US expects Iran to respond on several key points in the next two days, Axios reported, citing two US officials and two other sources aware of the issue.
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While nothing has been agreed upon yet, the report said that this was the closest the two sites had been to a deal since the start of the war in February.
Among other demands, the deal would also reportedly involve Iran committing to an embargo on nuclear enrichment, and the US lifting its sanctions and releasing billions of frozen Iranian funds. Additionally, both Washington and Tehran would lift the curbs on movement in the Strait of Hormuz.
The two US officials, cited by Axios, said that Trump's decision to pause Project Freedom in the Strait and avoid the collapse of the current ceasefire was based on the progress in their talks.
ALSO READ | US says ceasefire with Iran remains in effect despite Tehran launching attacks in Hormuz and UAE
The one-page memorandum of understanding (MOU) includes 14 points and is being negotiated between Trump's special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and several Iranian officials, both directly and via mediators.
Last week, Trump said that he would consider visiting Pakistan if peace talks with Iran came to fruition.
“I would go to Pakistan. Pakistan has been great. They’ve been so good. If a deal is signed in Islamabad, I might go. The Field Marshal has been great. The Prime Minister has been really great,” Trump told reporters in Washington DC.
