Trump Says Iran Talks in Final Stage... Additional Strikes Possible

【Financial News, New York = Lee Byung-chul】 Donald Trump has again raised the possibility of additional strikes on Iran, increasing pressure on Tehran to negotiate. He said talks to end the war with Iran had entered the "final stage," but warned that military action could resume if Iran refuses to reach an agreement.
According to Reuters, Trump told reporters on the 20th local time, "We are in the final stages of the Iran problem," adding, "We will either make a deal, or something a little unpleasant is going to happen." He went on to say, "I will give it one more chance. I am not in a rush," and added, "Ideally, we want fewer people to die, not more. We can do it either way."
Six weeks have passed since Trump halted Operation Epic Fury for a ceasefire, but negotiations to end the war have shown little progress. Trump said he came close to ordering additional airstrikes this week, but held off to allow more time for a diplomatic solution. He also said the day before that there had been only "an hour left" before he would have given the strike order.
Iran reacted strongly. In a statement, the IRGC warned that "if aggression against Iran is repeated, the promised regional war will expand beyond the region this time." Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of parliament and Iran's chief peace negotiator, also claimed in a voice message on social media that "the enemy's overt and covert moves show that the United States is preparing a new attack."
Last-minute diplomacy is also continuing. Pakistan's interior minister, who has so far hosted the only peace talks and has since served as a channel for messages between the two sides, visited Tehran on the day. Iran submitted a new proposal to the United States this week, but it is said to have largely repeated demands Trump had already rejected, including control of the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damage, sanctions relief, the return of frozen assets, and the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n
pride@fnnews.com Lee Byung-chul Reporter