US President Donald Trump on Thursday said Washington is "very close" to a deal with Iran to end the ongoing conflict, further claiming that Tehran has agreed to hand over its stockpile of enriched uranium.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said, "We're very close to making a deal with Iran." "We had to make sure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon... They've totally agreed to that. They've agreed to almost everything, so maybe if they can get to the table, there's a difference," he added.
Referring to the uranium stockpile, Trump said, "They've agreed to give us back the nuclear dust," his term for enriched uranium that the US says could be used to build nuclear weapons. However, he did not provide details of the arrangement.
The issue of uranium enrichment remains a key sticking point.
The United States has reportedly pushed for a 20-year suspension of Iran’s enrichment programme, while Tehran has proposed a shorter, five-year pause, an offer that Washington has rejected, AFP reported.
Iran continues to maintain that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes.
According to Al Jazeera, Iran was presented with a US proposal during Pakistan-mediated talks to halt its uranium enrichment programme for 20 years.
However, Tehran rejected the long-term freeze and instead put forward a shorter-duration counteroffer. Discussions are now ongoing over a possible revised framework.
Trump also indicated he may travel to Pakistan if an agreement is finalised there. "I might go, yeah. If the deal is signed in Islamabad, I might go," he said.
Speaking to reporters, Trump further said that he was "not sure" whether the current ceasefire with Iran would need to be extended beyond April 22. "I would say if there's no deal, fighting resumes," he said, signalling the possibility of renewed conflict if talks collapse.
The remarks come after a recent round of talks in Islamabad led by US Vice President JD Vance ended without a breakthrough.
The White House has said it is considering a second round of negotiations, likely again in Pakistan. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had told reporters on Wednesday that further talks between the US and Iran "would very likely" be in Islamabad.
Earlier, Washington had warned of resuming airstrikes and maintaining a naval blockade of Iranian ports if no deal is reached.
On another front, Trump said Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day truce starting Thursday, adding that he expects leaders from both countries to visit the White House in the coming days.
