President Trump criticizes Iran: ‘If there is no deal, fighting will resume’
President Trump has said talks with Iran could continue as early as this weekend, but warned that fighting would resume if a deal is not reached.
President Donald Trump said the dispute with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz is “over” and declared Friday’s agreement a “great victory” in a phone interview with USA TODAY.
“It’s over. It’s a great victory,” President Trump said in a phone conversation on April 17.
President Trump spoke with USA TODAY shortly after Iran announced it would reopen the strait, and was optimistic about the prospects for moving forward in the Iran war that has divided his party. Iran’s stranglehold on the strait has become a major sticking point, disrupting the global economy and frustrating the Trump administration as it seeks to secure a peace deal.
“It was a great win and I’m going to go all the way,” he said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said in a social media post on April 17 that the strait was “fully open.” Approximately 20% of the world’s oil is transported through waterways. Restoring shipping traffic in the Strait has become a major focus for the United States in negotiations to end the war.
“In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, it is declared that all commercial shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz will be fully open for the remainder of the ceasefire, in line with the coordinated route already announced by the Ports and Maritime Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Araghchi said.
President Trump announced a two-week cease-fire with Iran on April 7, conditional on reopening the strait, but Iran has balked at allowing Israel to cross the strait while shelling Lebanon, insisting that the fighting should end as part of the cease-fire.
Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on April 16th.
Despite Iran’s announcement to reopen the strait, President Trump said on social media that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports will continue “in its entirety” for the foreseeable future.
“The blockade will continue in its entirety regarding Iran only until the deal with Iran is 100% complete. Since most points have already been negotiated, this process should move very quickly,” Trump said in an April 17 post.
The United States continues to negotiate with Iran to turn a two-week ceasefire into a permanent peace deal. The first round of talks, held in Islamabad, Pakistan, failed to result in an agreement. President Trump said on April 16 that a second face-to-face meeting could be held over the weekend.
(This story has been updated. )
