Donald Trump signals possible Sunday strikes on Iran as peace deal remains elusive: ‘There’s a possibility I will’

President Donald Trump has indicated that the United States (US) could resume strikes on Iran this Sunday, as the two sides fail to arrive on a consensus for a peace deal to end the conflict that began on February 28.

The 80-year-old Republican leader who is in his second term at the White House also defended his administration’s action against the Middle East nation, while lauding the military for doing an ‘amazing job’ on the ground.

“Do you really think I’d tell you that? Maybe tomorrow…There’s a possibility I will. There’s also a possibility we’ll have a nice, big, beautiful agreement. They want to make a deal, but the problem is, will they hold the deal?” he told reporters in Florida Saturday evening after casting his vote for midterm elections.

“We have done an amazing job. Our Navy and military have done an amazing job. They have knocked out every jet fighter of Iran. 259 ships are at the bottom of the sea. They are only left with record inflation,” he added.

Trump’s remarks come within less than 24 hours after he warned another ‘little Epic Fury’ against the Iranians, while advising Tehran’s leadership to accept the peace deal. ‘Operation Epic Fury’ was the name of the military operation launched by the US against Iran in February. 

Recently, a top US diplomat — Tom Barrack who is ambassador to Türkiye — had hinted that Washington could resume strikes on Iran this weekend, even though he remains completely unrelated to the developments regarding Iran. However, Trump had brushed aside his remarks, even though he hinted at resuming the strikes.

The US wants the Iranians to give up their nuclear ambition and reopen the Strait of Hormuz through which nearly one-fifth of the global crude transits. However, Tehran has refused that completely. Recently, Pakistan’s Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Tehran and met the country’s leadership, urging them to handover Iran’s enriched uranium, but the Islamic Republic refused to do it completely. 

Iran, thorough Pakistan, conveyed to the US that it remains open to reopening the Hormuz if Washington ends its blockade, but blamed that Trump has rejected this idea. “Iran fundamentally does not accept any equation of the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the blockade,” Iran International quoted sources as saying.

With both sides refusing to back down, it would be interesting to see how the situation develops in the Middle East.

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