US President Donald Trump has raised the prospect of a major deal with Iran after a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump claimed that Washington and Tehran were very close to a deal and that Iran had agreed to almost all the terms, including the transfer of enriched uranium. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday, April 16, Trump said that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, which is set to take effect at 9:00 pm GMT on Thursday.
Analysts believe that the peace move in Lebanon could pave the way for a possible deal with Iran. Iran has long demanded that a ceasefire in Beirut be in place before any talks with the United States can begin. The temporary ceasefire meets Tehran’s requirements. According to Trump, Iran has agreed not to build or stockpile nuclear weapons. The deal currently being negotiated could last more than 20 years. Trump, calling the prospects for the deal “very bright,” said he would meet with the Iranian delegation next weekend. He expressed his desire to visit the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, if the deal is finalized.
However, Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem, reporting from Tehran, said that the United States and Pakistan had offered Iran a 20-year moratorium on nuclear enrichment, which would have opened the door to a major deal. But Iran refused to accept the 20-year deal. Instead, they made a counteroffer, and the 20-year deal has now been removed from the negotiating table.
Can Read: Israeli Airstrikes Continue Despite Ceasefire, Civilian Casualties Rise In Lebanon
Meanwhile, experts believe that the ceasefire in Lebanon could positively affect the talks and the prospects for a deal. However, Iran’s frozen assets need to be released so that Iran can participate in the second round of talks with a more positive attitude.
Although the current Lebanese ceasefire is set to expire on April 22, Trump believes that a permanent solution will be reached before then. However, he warned that if for some reason there is no agreement, the fighting will resume. Trump also said that the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz remains in effect and that the US Navy has turned back 14 ships from there in the last 72 hours.
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire. However, Hezbollah MP Ali Fayyad said that they will monitor the ceasefire with caution and vigilance. Their condition is that the ceasefire can only be permanent if Israel stops all attacks. On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees the ceasefire as an opportunity to reach a historic agreement with Beirut. However, he made it clear that Hezbollah must disarm and that Israeli troops will be stationed in a wide security zone up to the Syrian border.
Amid the heated situation in the Middle East, Democrats in the US House of Representatives have rejected a proposal to limit Trump’s power to fight Iran. As a result, Trump is now in a more favorable position to implement his plan.
