New Delhi, Apr 21: With Iran appearing evasive to talk, US President Donald Trump tonight said Tehran has “no choice” but to join the negotiations as “we are totally loaded up”.
He also said that he does “not want to extend the ceasefire” which ends tomorrow after a span of two weeks.
“I don’t want to do that. We don’t have that much time,” Trump said when asked about the possibility of extending the ceasefire during an interview with CNBC.
He said the US was in “a strong negotiating position” and would end up with “a great deal”.
“I do not want to extend the ceasefire. I think we are going to end up with a great deal. They have no choice,” the US President said.
“I think we will reach an agreement in the end… We are in a very strong position to negotiate,” he said.
When referred to Tehran’s evasive attitude on having the talks in Islamabad, Trump said Iran has “no choice but to send” negotiators to Pakistan for a new round of talks.
The second round of negotiations were expected to take place today and tomorrow, according to the US and Pakistan, which has made all preparations to host the talks.
The first round of talks was held in Islamabad on April 11 and 12.
Trump said the US is ready to resume the military campaign against Iran if no agreement is reached.
“..I am ready. That is, the military forces are fully ready to take action…. I am waiting for the bombers to continue, because I think this approach is a better approach to enter into negotiations,” he said in a new threat to Iran.
“We are totally loaded up; we are much more powerful than we were before the ceasefire. We used the ceasefire to restock, and they have probably done a little restocking. We totally control the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said.
He said the US caught a ship yesterday that had some things on it that weren’t very nice. “A gift from China, perhaps—I don’t know. I am surprised. I thought I had an understanding with President Xi,” he said. (NVI)
