Trump defers ‘final determination’ on draft deal with Iran

Washington, May 30 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) US President Donald Trump deferred his “final determination” on a draft deal with Iran after meeting for about two hours with his national security team at the White House Situation Room.

“The Situation Room meeting has concluded and lasted approximately two hours. President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his redlines. Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon,” a White House official said in a statement on Friday.

It was not immediately clear why Trump did not reach a decision, reports Xinhua news agency.

Earlier on Friday, Trump outlined conditions for a deal with Iran in a post on Truth Social, claiming he will be meeting his national security team “to make a final determination” on the day.

Among the US key demands are the elimination of Iran’s enriched nuclear materials, reopening the Hormuz Strait with no tolls and removing water mines left.

“Iran must agree that they will never have a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb. The Hormuz Strait must be immediately open, no tolls, for unrestricted shipping traffic, in both directions. All water mines (bombs), if any, will be terminated,” Trump wrote.

The US Naval blockade “will now be lifted,” said Trump.

Iran’s enriched nuclear material, the so-called “nuclear dust” which has been buried deep underground due to US bombing in June last year, will be unearthed by the United States in close coordination and conjunction with Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency and destroyed, said Trump.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in a phone interview with Iranian state media on Friday that current negotiations were limited in scope and did not include “the nuclear issue.”

—