Trump: New round of negotiations with Iran to begin on Monday

WASHINGTON, Aug. 03 (YPA) – US President Donald Trump said late Sunday that an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz is expected, adding that another deal concerning Iran’s nuclear program is also under discussion.

Trump said the United States is in talks with Iran over the framework of the negotiations, which are expected to begin later on Monday.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Trump said conversations with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Iran had prompted him to cancel a “massive attack” on Friday.

“We were asked by the three primary groups. We were also asked by Iran very strongly,” he said. “They said we’d like to make a deal.”

He said the planned military operation was called off after Iran and neighboring countries urged Washington to hold back.

“It was going to be a massive attack. They asked us not to do it. They said: ‘Please don’t do it.’ Their neighbors said that too. We are just going to see whether or not we can make a deal,” he said.

Following Trump’s remarks, oil prices fell by more than 6% in early Asian trading on Monday after he suspended a planned attack on Iran amid efforts to secure an agreement on Tehran’s nuclear program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude futures dropped $5.52 (-6.28%) to $82.41 per barrel by 22:02 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell $5.27 (-6.22%) to $79.40 per barrel.

In a related context, the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced Sunday evening that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a second round of phone calls in less than 24 hours with his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, and Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.

According to the ministry, Araghchi discussed efforts to bolster security in West Asia, with all three parties emphasizing the need to leverage regional diplomatic channels and political solutions.

@E.Y.M