U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion on his "No Tax on Tips" policy at the AC Hotel on Thursday in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images via AFP-Yonhap
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump has said he expects the United States and Iran to reach a peace deal "in the next day or two," noting that a new round of negotiations between the two sides may take place this weekend, according to a report.
Trump made the remarks in a brief phone interview with Axios, as hopes for a deal between Washington and Tehran have risen following this week's ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon and Iran's subsequent announcement on the opening of the crucial Strait of Hormuz in line with the ceasefire.
"The Iranians want to meet. They want to make a deal. I think a meeting will probably take place over the weekend. I think we will get a deal in the next day or two," he was quoted by Axios as saying.
The meeting, if held, is expected to take place in Islamabad, where the first round of their peace talks occurred.
In a separate interview with Bloomberg, Trump underscored progress in efforts to reach a deal with Iran.
"Most of the main points are finalized. It'll go pretty quickly," he said.
The president said he has not decided on who will lead a U.S. delegation for talks with Iran to sign an agreement. When asked if he would travel to Pakistan, he said he may do so, according to Bloomberg.
Key sticking points were a U.S. demand for an Iranian commitment not to have a nuclear weapon and its pledge to hand over its stockpile of enriched uranium, which can be used to build a weapon.
Trump claimed Thursday that Iran agreed not to seek a nuclear weapon, and pledged to turn over the "nuclear dust" — a term that he uses to refer to Iran's enriched uranium.
Source: Korea Times News
