Trump says there is “no reason” to escalate war with Iran, touts his long-term goals in the conflict

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman said Monday that Tehran’s proposal to reduce the implementation period for a possible peace deal with the U.S. to two days from the previous seven was a “sign of goodwill.”

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told Iranian journalists that any deal with the U.S. must include the core conditions both sides agreed to under the previous, so-called Islamabad agreement in June. That deal called for the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Iran as well as the U.S. naval blockade of Iran’s ports, unfreezing Iranian assets and a ceasefire on all fronts in the Middle East.

“If the other side is genuinely even minimally serious, Iran can fulfill its own commitments within two days,” he added. “We have already demonstrated that we are serious about fulfilling our commitments.”

The previous ceasefire fell apart after several weeks, as Iran declared the continuation of the U.S. naval blockade a violation of its terms. 

On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio downplayed the likelihood of an imminent deal with Iran, calling Tehran’s demands “unacceptable.” 

The Trump administration has been pushing for Iran to agree to conditions on its nuclear program as part of an initial peace agreement, but Tehran has long insisted discussion on the topic can begin only after fighting and threats cease.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio tempered expectations of an imminent deal between Iran and the U.S. late Sunday.

Before departing to Paris for a G7 meeting, Rubio said the two sides are not “at the verge of a breakthrough, while reiterating the president prefers a diplomatic solution.

“Right now, it hasn’t been very productive because the Iranian demands are simply not just unacceptable,” Rubio told reporters.

He said he expects G7 allies to have a lot of questions about the conflict and next steps.

CBS/AFP

President Trump is scheduled to meet with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the White House on Monday.

Qatar has been one of the key mediators in indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran aimed at reaching a deal to end the conflict.

According to sources cited by Axios, Al Thani, who is one of the key mediators in those talks, is looking to Mr. Trump to allow more time for diplomacy.

President Trump said in an interview aired on Sunday that there is “no reason” to escalate the war on Iran and that he was “not looking” to do so.

“Well, I’m not looking to. I don’t think there’s any reason to,” Mr. Trump told 60 Minutes when asked whether he was planning to intensify the war.

However, the president emphatically defended his decision to start the conflict in late February, while recognizing there have been negative impacts in the meantime.

“I think, historically, this will be a very good decision,” Mr. Trump said. “Is it a good decision for today and tomorrow? Maybe not.”

The president cited Iran’s nuclear program as the main reason for starting the war, adding that he had done “what’s right for our country.”

Read the full transcript of Mr. Trump’s 60 Minutes interview here.

President Trump said Sunday that the new U.S. military task force to extend the Iran naval blockade “is in full force and effect.”

“Task Force Iron Gate is in full force and effect in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Coupled with history’s greatest Naval Blockade, very little gets into, or out of, Iran!” Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post.

Task Force Iron Gate is aimed at extending the success of the naval blockade to overland routes of trade, U.S. Central Command announced Saturday.

The group will be tasked with preventing military technology and illegal revenue streams from entering or exiting Iranian borders, including via the Caspian Sea, but it was unclear if any military force would be brought to bear.