The vice president JD Vance has said he is “not certain” about a peace deal with Iran as he warned the American military is “locked and loaded” for a resumption of war.
In a White House briefing on Tuesday, Vance said “a lot of good progress has been made” in negotiations with Tehran in recent days, but added: “You never know until you know, right?”
His comments came after Donald Trump stated that he could order “another big hit” on the country.
“I am not certain, and I’m not going to be certain until we sign a deal that we have a deal,” Mr Vance said.
Trump, he said, has advised his team to "aggressively negotiate" with the Iranians.
Earlier, the US president claimed he was “an hour away” from ordering a fresh volley of strikes on Iran in order to force Tehran to agree a deal, after he had reviewed the latest peace terms.
Only yesterday, the US president said there was a “very good chance” an agreement to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon would be reached.
Key Points
- Donald Trump says Iran war will end 'very quickly'
- Trump says he was 'an hour away' from launching strikes
- Russia ready to 'help with US-Iran talks'
Earthquake strikes war-torn Iran
04:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck near Southern Iran this morning, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said.
The quake was at a depth of 14km, EMSC said.
The quake struck parts of Hormozgan province and was felt by residents of Qeshm and Hormoz cities, as well as in rural areas in Bandar Abbas. Fars news said the epicentre was near Bandar Laft at a depth of 20km.
The director general of crisis management at the Hormozgan governorate told Iranian media that no damage had been reported so far from the earthquake, but assessments were ongoing.
Oil prices fall to $110 after Trump says war will end 'very quickly
04:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
'Oil prices eased today after president Donald Trump again asserted the war with Iran will end "very quickly", though investors remain wary about the outcome of peace talks amid continued disruptions to Middle East supply from the conflict.
Brent crude oil futures fell 45 cents, or 0.4 per cent, to $110.83 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate futures were down 27 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $103.88.
Senate advances measure to end Iran war
04:21 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A growing number of Republicans defied president Donald Trump as the Senate advanced legislation seeking to compel his administration to withdraw from the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Since President Trump ordered an attack on Iran at the end of February, Democrats have repeatedly forced votes on war powers resolutions. These measures would require him to either gain congressional approval for the military engagement or withdraw troops. Republicans had previously managed to block such proposals.
However, a crucial shift occurred when Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, fresh from a primary election loss in which President Trump endorsed his opponent, switched his vote.
More here.
Senate advances measure to end Iran war as Bill Cassidy flips vote
Russia ready to 'help with US-Iran talks'
04:18 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Russia's deputy foreign minister has claimed that Moscow was ready to help out with talks between the US and Iran over their ongoing conflict.
"Russia is ready to provide all possible assistance in resolving this conflict, and the parties involved are well aware of this," Sergei Ryabkov was quoted as saying by TASS as saying.
Trump says he was 'an hour away' from launching strikes
04:12 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
President Donald Trump has expressed his hopes that the Iran conflict will not continue but said that the US may have to order “another big hit” on the Islamic Republic.
The US president said he was “an hour away” from launching fresh attacks before allies in the Middle East asked him to postpone them, due to the possibility of a peace deal being agreed.
He said that America’s decision would be known “very soon”.
“I hope we don't have to do the war, but we may have to give them another big hit... I'm not sure yet. You'll know very soon,” he told reporters.
Trump says Iran war will end 'very quickly'
04:12 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
President Donald Trump has said that the Iran war will end “very quickly” while attending a Congressional picnic Tuesday night, Washington time.
“We're blowing everything away, and we're going to end that war very quickly. They want to make a deal so badly, they're tired of this,” he said of the Iranians.
He reassured Americans struggling with high gas prices that they will see “oil prices plummet.”
“They're going to come down. There's so much oil out there, they're going to come plummeting down,” he said.
Iran war briefing:
04:11 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
- President Donald Trump has said that the Iran war will end “very quickly” and that Tehran wanted to "make a deal so badly, they're tired of this"
- Trump also claimed that he was "an hour away" from launching fresh strikes on Iran before his Gulf allies asked him to postpone them
- Russia's deputy foreign ministry has offered Moscow's help with talks between the US and Iran over their ongoing military conflict
- Oil prices eased on Wednesday as Brent crude oil futures fell 45 cents, or 0.4 per cent, to $110.83 a barrel. The US West Texas Intermediate futures were down 27 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $103.88
