Trump's response when asked if negotiations with Iran will resume in the next “36 to 72 hours”
US President Donald Trump said it was “possible” that negotiations with Iran could resume in the coming days, in an exchange of text messages with the New York Post on Wednesday.
“It is possible! DJT President,” the White House leader wrote in response to a journalist from this American tabloid, who asked him about the likelihood that the talks would take place in the next “36 to 72 hours,” that is, until Friday, according to AFP and Agerpres.
The US president announced on Tuesday that he was extending the truce to allow negotiations with Tehran, without giving a new deadline.
“In view of the fact that the government of Iran is deeply divided – which is not surprising – and at the request of Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, we have been asked to delay the attack on Iran until the leaders and representatives of this country can present a joint proposal. Therefore, I have ordered our military to continue the blockade and in all other respects to remain ready and capable, and I therefore extend the ceasefire until such time as their proposal is presented and the talks are concluded, one way or another. President DONALD J. TRUMP,” Trump wrote in a message posted on Truth Social.
Earlier on Wednesday, two sources familiar with the internal discussions told CNN that the US president plans to give the Iranians a limited deadline to come up with a “unified proposal” aimed at relaunching diplomatic negotiations.
However, Tehran said its decision not to participate in the second round of peace talks with the US in Pakistan is “final”, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency wrote on Wednesday.
That decision was announced shortly before Donald Trump said he would extend the truce to give more time to negotiations, with the current two-week ceasefire set to expire Wednesday evening Washington time.
Iranian and US delegations were expected to meet this week for a second round of talks in Pakistan after the first session of talks on April 11 and 12 failed.
