Trump leaves Iran decision pending after security meeting, Tehran defies ‘must’ language

The White House has not announced any decision following US President Donald Trump's meeting with his national security team in the Situation Room on Friday, despite the President earlier indicating that the discussion would help him make a "final determination" on issues related to Iran, CNN reported. In a statement issued after the meeting, a White House official said the discussions had concluded after approximately two hours. "The Situation Room meeting has concluded and lasted approximately two hours. President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his red lines. Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon," the official said. Trump had announced the meeting shortly, stating that its purpose was "to make a final determination."

He also outlined several conditions that he expected Iran to accept as part of any potential agreement aimed at ending the conflict. "Iran must agree that they will never have a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb," Trump declared. "The Hormuz Strait must be immediately open, no tolls, for unrestricted shipping traffic, in both directions. All water mines (bombs), if any, will be terminated (we have removed, through detonation, numerous such mines with our great underwater mine sweepers. Iran will complete the immediate removal and/or detonation of any mines that are left, which will not be many)!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Later, Iran said that no final understanding had been reached, rejecting suggestions that Tehran would act under external pressure, Iranian state media Press TV reported. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told state television, "Tehran has said goodbye to the language of 'must' 47 years ago. None of the Western parties can use the language of 'must' when they talk about the Islamic Republic of Iran. We make our own decisions based on the interests and rights of the Iranian nation." The deadlock came on a reported 60-day memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at extending the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran. It reportedly includes an Iranian commitment not to pursue nuclear weapons and also lays out that initial negotiations during the 60 days would focus on the disposal of the Islamic Republic's highly enriched uranium and limits on enrichment activities. However, Baghaei has rejected the claims that any negotiations on the nuclear issue have taken place between the US and Iran. "Regarding the nuclear issue, we have no negotiations," he said. This goes against Trump's repeated claims that the US has made it clear to Tehran that it cannot continue its uranium enrichment programme to develop nuclear weapons.

Referring to the Strait of Hormuz, Baghaei said the waterway lies within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman and stressed the need for mechanisms that safeguard the interests and security of both coastal states while ensuring safe passage for international shipping, Press TV reported. "Certainly Iran and Oman, as two responsible countries, must adopt mechanisms that preserve their national interests and security as coastal states and also give the international community assurance that shipping through this route is conducted safely," he said.