Trump ends Situation Room meeting without announcement; WH says ceasefire deal must "satisfy red lines"
Washington DC, May 30
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.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, Iran has every right to be skeptical. The US has a history of walking back on deals. India maintained good relations with Iran despite US pressure, and we've seen how unreliable American promises can be. Baghaei's response about saying goodbye to the language of 'must' is quite powerful!
As an Indian, I find the whole situation concerning. Iran is a key partner in Chabahar port and our gateway to Central Asia. If Trump pushes too hard and destabilizes the region, it's not just America that suffers - India's connectivity projects and energy imports take a hit. We need to nudge both sides toward de-escalation.
I appreciate Trump wanting to protect US interests, but this 'my way or the highway' approach rarely works in the Middle East. A 60-day ceasefire MoU sounds promising - why not build on that instead of threatening? The world needs stability, not more brinkmanship in the Gulf.
While I understand Trump's red lines, Iran's sovereignty must be respected. As a nation that faced colonialism ourselves, we Indians get that. The 'must' language is patronizing. A nuclear-free Iran is good for all, but it has to be through genuine negotiation, not diktats. Hope wiser heads prevail.
The Strait of Hormuz is literally one of the most important chokepoints in the world. Any disruption there would send oil prices skyrocketing, hurting everyone including India. Trump's tough talk might play well at rallies, but the real work of diplomacy is far more delicate. 😬
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.