In an interview with ABC News, US President Donald Trump said Iran had committed a "total violation" of the two-week ceasefire, but stressed that he still believed a peace agreement could be reached.
"It will happen. One way or another. The nice way or the hard way," Trump said.
The ceasefire announced by Trump is expected to end this week. Shortly after the interview, Trump posted on Truth Social that talks would resume in the Pakistani capital:
"Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz — A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement! Many of them were aimed at a French Ship, and a Freighter from the United Kingdom. That wasn't nice, was it? My Representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan — They will be there tomorrow evening, for Negotiations. Iran recently announced that they were closing the Strait, which is strange, because our BLOCKADE has already closed it. They're helping us without knowing, and they are the ones that lose with the closed passage, $500 Million Dollars a day! The United States loses nothing. In fact, many Ships are headed, right now, to the U.S., Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska, to load up, compliments of the IRGC, always wanting to be 'the tough guy!'"
The president also wrote that the United States was offering "We're offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don't, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY! They'll come down fast, they'll come down easy and, if they don't take the DEAL, it will be my Honor to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran, by other Presidents, for the last 47 years. IT'S TIME FOR THE IRAN KILLING MACHINE TO END!"
The negotiations have run into major difficulties over the nuclear issue. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian made clear that Trump has no right to prevent his country from pursuing a nuclear program. Iran has also denied Trump's claims that it agreed to give up its stockpile of enriched uranium. The coming days are shaping up to be a critical decision point in a confrontation that has now lasted six weeks.
