U.S. President Donald Trump takes questions from media at a press briefing at the White House, following a shooting incident during the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, D.C., April 25. Reuters-Yonhap
ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday Iran could telephone if it wants to negotiate an end to their two-month war, stressing that Tehran can never have a nuclear weapon, while Iran's foreign minister returned to Pakistan for talks despite the absence of U.S. counterparts.
Hopes of reviving peace efforts receded on Saturday when Trump scrapped a visit to Islamabad by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, even as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi continued to shuttle between mediating countries.
"If they want to talk, they can come to us, or they can call us. You know, there is a telephone. We have nice, secure lines," Trump told "The Sunday Briefing" on Fox News.
"They know what has to be in the agreement. It's very simple: They cannot have a nuclear weapon, otherwise there's no reason to meet," Trump said.
Iran has long demanded Washington acknowledge its right to enrich uranium, which Tehran says it only seeks for peaceful purposes, but which Western powers say is aimed at building nuclear weapons.
Although a ceasefire has paused full-scale fighting in the conflict, which began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, no agreement has been reached on terms to end a war that has killed thousands, driven up oil prices, fuelled inflation and darkened the outlook for global growth.
Trump faces domestic pressure to end war
With his approval ratings falling, Trump faces domestic pressure to end the unpopular war. Iran's leaders, though weakened militarily, have found leverage in negotiations with their ability to stop shipping in the economically vital Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries a fifth of global oil shipments.
Tehran has largely closed the strait while Washington has imposed a blockade of Iran's ports.
Source: Korea Times News
