Washington, May 23 - President Donald Trump told CBS News on Saturday that negotiators for the United States and Iran were "getting a lot closer" to finalizing an agreement intended to end the war.
In the CBS interview, Trump said a concluded deal would prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and would guarantee that Iran's enriched uranium was "satisfactorily handled." He added, "I will only sign a deal where we get everything we want," according to CBS.
On the same day, Iran, the United States and mediator Pakistan all said progress had been made in talks aimed at ending almost three months of war. Those discussions have been focused on Iran's nuclear program and the conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil and gas transit route.
In a separate interview with Axios, Trump said he planned to review the latest Iran draft agreement with his advisers on Saturday and indicated he might decide by Sunday whether to resume the war. "Either we reach a good deal or I'll blow them to a thousand hells," he said in the Axios interview, according to Axios.
The president's public statements reflect a stance that alternates between pursuing a negotiated settlement and reserving the option of military force. Trump has vacillated between diplomacy and the possibility of a strike since a ceasefire was declared six weeks ago to allow the parties time to come to agreement on Iran's nuclear program and on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which is now controlled by Tehran.
The remarks brought together three strands of the current moment: the negotiators' assertion of forward movement in talks, the president's insistence on stringent terms he says he will accept, and a clear conditional threat of renewed military action should a deal fall short of his demands.
Contextual note - The talks involve the United States, Iran and Pakistan as mediator; all three parties reported progress on Saturday. The ceasefire that preceded these negotiations was declared six weeks ago to create space for agreement on nuclear arrangements and the status of the Strait of Hormuz.