Trump Says ‘Very Optimistic’ on Iran Deal as Israel Scales Back Lebanon Strikes
In a telephone interview with NBC News, Trump said Iran’s leadership appeared “much more reasonable” in private discussions.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was “very optimistic” about reaching a peace agreement with Iran following a recent ceasefire, while noting that Israel had begun reducing its strikes in Lebanon.
In a telephone interview with NBC News, Trump said Iran’s leadership appeared “much more reasonable” in private discussions. However, he warned that failure to reach an agreement would have serious consequences, adding, “if they don’t make a deal, it’s going to be very painful.”
Diplomatic efforts are expected to continue, with US Vice President JD Vance scheduled to hold talks with Iranian officials in Pakistan on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed during a call with Trump on Wednesday to “low-key it” in Lebanon after a wave of heavy strikes earlier in the week, according to the US president.
The developments come amid ongoing international efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East and revive negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week conditional ceasefire on Wednesday. This agreement aims to halt a 40-day conflict that has significantly disrupted global energy supplies.