U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that there are "important points of agreement" with Iran during intensive negotiations aimed at ending the armed conflict between the two countries.
"We have had very, very intense conversations. From time to time, some statements appear, but we don't know if he is alive," Trump said on Monday. On the U.S. side, the negotiations have been led by the special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law.
Trump emphasized that any agreement with the Islamic Republic must prevent the nation from obtaining a nuclear weapon. "We don't want to see any nuclear bombs, any nuclear weapons," Trump stated, adding that the U.S. would seize Iran's enriched uranium as part of a potential deal.
As a gesture to facilitate dialogue, Trump ordered a five-day suspension of attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the president expressed confidence that the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20% of the world's oil is transported, will "soon" reopen if the negotiations are successful. The waterway was blocked by Iran in response to the military offensive launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28. Trump even suggested the possibility of establishing a "joint" control of the strait between Washington and Tehran.
Negotiations between the two nations continue amidst a temporary pause in military actions, seeking a "complete and total" resolution to the hostilities.
