WNAM REPORT: President Donald Trump told CNBC in an interview on Tuesday that he did not want to extend a ceasefire with Iran, adding the US was in a strong negotiating position and would end up with what he called a great deal.
“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.
Washington has expressed confidence that talks with Iran will go ahead in Pakistan, and a senior Iranian official said Tehran was considering joining.
With the prospect of last-ditch further peace talks still up in the air, Trump said the US would resume its attacks on Iran if a deal is not struck with Tehran soon.
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf said Tehran has “new cards on the battlefield” that haven’t yet been revealed.
“I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with. But we’re ready to go. I mean, the military is raring to go,” he said.
Pakistan has urged both the United States and Iran to extend their two-week ceasefire, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
In a meeting with the US charge d’affaires in Pakistan, Natalie A. Baker, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stressed the need for engagement between the US and Iran, and said Pakistan urged both sides to consider extending the ceasefire, a statement from the foreign ministry said.
Regional officials have told The Associated Press that both the US and Iran are sending their top negotiators to Pakistan for round two peace talks as the fragile ceasefire is set to expire.
Pakistan-led mediators have received confirmation that Qalibaf and US Vice President JD Vance are expected to arrive in Islamabad early Wednesday, the regional officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.
