Trump: I'm sure Iran will ask for talks soon
The US president believes that the policy of “maximum pressure” will bring the Islamic Republic to the negotiating table. According to Trump, Iran will negotiate “soon.” However, the German foreign minister warned about the risk of military conflict in the region.
US President Donald Trump continues to insist that his “maximum pressure” policy on the Islamic Republic will respond and bring the country’s leadership to the negotiating table. “I am confident that Iran will soon be asking to talk,” Trump tweeted on Wednesday, May 15.
He also tweeted that speculation by the Washington Post and the New York Times about divisions in his administration was “false,” writing: “Various opinions are expressed and I make the final and definitive decision. The process is very simple. All sides, perspectives, and policies are covered.”
In recent days, the US President has combined his pressure on the Islamic Republic through the imposition of new sanctions and an increased presence in the Middle East with signals for negotiations with Iran. Last week, he said, among other things, that he was ready to talk to the leaders of the Islamic Republic.
In contrast, Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, although he has ruled out the possibility of war between Iran and the United States, has also rejected negotiations with the Trump administration as "double poison."
Trump wants to renegotiate the nuclear deal with Iran and compromise with the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program. The US president also wants to limit Iran's missile program and stop its movements in critical areas of the Middle East, which he calls "interference" and "destabilizing the region."
Tensions between the Islamic Republic and the United States reached a peak a week ago on the anniversary of Trump's announcement of the US withdrawal from the JCPOA. Washington imposed additional sanctions on Iran's metal and mining industries, and Tehran announced that it would no longer abide by some of its commitments under the JCPOA.
In addition to deploying B-52 bombers to the Al-Udeid military base in Qatar, the United States also dispatched the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to the waters of the region. The reason for this action was stated to be "threats from Iran."
"Extremely serious" risk
Washington also announced yesterday that it would withdraw a large number of its diplomats whose presence in Iraq is not “essential.” The reason for this, according to US government sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, is the threat posed to Americans by Iraqi militias that take orders from the Revolutionary Guard.
Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned of the risk of military conflict in the Middle East if the nuclear deal with Iran fails. "We must and will do everything we can to prevent a military conflict," Maas told the German Bundestag.
The German Foreign Minister called the risk of escalating tensions in the region “extremely serious” and called on the United States to work towards finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict. “Maximum pressure always carries the risk of an unwanted conflict,” Heiko Maas stressed.
Source: DW
