The United States, the Iranian regime and “various other countries” have come to a deal “largely” to end hostilities, according to U.S. President Donald Trump.
The president, who said on Friday that he was missing his son’s wedding due to “circumstances pertaining to government and my love for the United States of America”, said on Saturday that he had a “very good call” with Saudi, Emirati, Qatari, Pakistani, Turkish, Egyptian, Jordanian and Bahraini leaders.
The group spoke about “the Islamic Republic of Iran, and all things related to a memorandum of understanding pertaining to peace”, Trump stated.
“An agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalisation between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the various other countries,” he said. “Separately, I had a call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, which, likewise, went very well.
“Final aspects and details of the deal are currently being discussed and will be announced shortly,” he added. “In addition to many other elements of the agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened.”
But Republican Senator Ted Cruz stated that he was “deeply concerned about what we are hearing about an Iran ‘deal,’ being pushed by some voices in the administration
“President Trump’s decision to strike Iran was the most consequential decision of his second term. He was right to do so, and we achieved extraordinary military results – including destroying all of their missiles and drones and sinking their entire navy,” the senator said.
“If the result of all that is to be an Iranian regime, still run by Islamists who chant ‘death to America’, now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium and develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake,” Cruz stated. “The details are still coming out, and I pray the early reports are wrong, but the fact that Biden’s Rob Malley is praising the deal is not encouraging.”
Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, stated that “the only place Iran ever beats America is at the negotiating table. Every. Single. Time.”
“The pending deal looks bad. I hope final terms are far better than the leaks suggest,” he stated. “That said, this remains a major military achievement for Israel. Iran’s ballistic missile programme, a severe strategic threat to Israel, has been significantly degraded and set back for years.”
About two-and-a-half hours before Trump’s statement, Senator Lindsey Graham stated that “if a deal is struck to end the Iranian conflict because it is believed that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be protected from Iranian terrorism and Iran still possesses the capability to destroy major Gulf oil infrastructure, then Iran will be perceived as” a dominant “force requiring a diplomatic solution”.
“This combination of Iran being perceived as having the ability to terrorise the Strait in perpetuity and the ability” to “inflict massive damage to Gulf oil infrastructure is a major shift of the balance of power in the region and over time will be a nightmare for Israel,” Graham said.
“Also, it makes one wonder why the war started to begin with if these perceptions are accurate. I personally am a sceptic of the idea that Iran cannot be denied the ability to terrorise the strait and the region cannot protect itself against Iranian military capability,” he added. “It is important we get this right.”
Some 45 minutes before Trump’s post, the senator stated that “if it is perceived in the region that a deal with Iran allows the regime to survive and become more powerful over time, we will have poured gasoline on the conflicts in Lebanon and Iraq.”
“A deal that is perceived to allow Iran to survive and possess the ability to control the strait in the future will put Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Shia militias in Iraq on steroids,” he said.
A publication with close ties to the Iranian regime quoted the Islamic Republic’s foreign minister saying that the Strait of Hormuz “has nothing to do with America”.
“Asked whether the Strait of Hormuz is included in the 14-point memorandum, the spokesman said the issue would logically be discussed,” per the Iranian regime publication. “However, he added, putting an end to ‘U.S. piracy and maritime banditry’ against international shipping is even more important than the Strait of Hormuz.”
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