President Donald Trump said Friday that he would be open to an agreement freezing Iran’s nuclear program for 20 years, but insisted that any deal would require ironclad assurances from Tehran before the United States would agree to end the war.

Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One while returning from his trip to China, Trump discussed the latest Iranian proposal and indicated he had serious objections to parts of it.

“Well, I looked at it, and if I don’t like the first sentence, I just throw it away,” the President replied, explaining that the first sentence of the Iranian proposal was “an unacceptable sentence because they fully agree, no nuclear, and if they have any nuclear of any form, I don’t read the rest of their letter.”

Asked whether a 20-year moratorium on Iran’s nuclear activity would satisfy him, Trump responded that the issue was not the length of time but whether Iran could be trusted to comply.

“No, 20 years is enough, but the level of guarantee from them is not enough. In other words, it’s got to be a real 20 years, not a fake 20.”

Trump also revealed that Iran was a major topic during his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to Trump, Xi strongly opposed Iran obtaining nuclear weapons and discussed the strategic importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open.

Trump said Xi “feels strongly they can’t have a nuclear weapon. He said that very strongly. They can’t have a nuclear weapon. And he wants them to open up the strait. But as he said, ‘they closed it, and then you closed them’. And it’s true. We control the strait. And they’ve done no business, literally they’ve done no business in the last two and a half weeks, which is approximately $500 million a day. So we’re doing very well on all fronts.”

The president said he remains hopeful that Iran will eventually agree to a deal. Trump added that Iranian officials told him that only the United States and China possess the capability to remove the country’s enriched uranium stockpiles, which he referred to as “nuclear dust.”

During an interview Thursday night with Sean Hannity on Fox News, Trump warned that his patience with Tehran is quickly running out.

“I’m not going to be much more patient. No, I’m not. They should make a deal. Any sane person would make a deal, but they might be crazy,” Trump clarified.

The interview aired shortly after Trump suggested on Truth Social that military operations against Iran may continue.

The remarks came in a broader post reflecting on his recent visit to China and comments made by Xi Jinping about the United States.

“When President Xi very elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps being a declining nation, he was referring to the tremendous damage we suffered during the four years of Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden Administration, and on that score, he was 100% correct. Our Country suffered immeasurably with open borders, high taxes, transgender for everybody, men in women’s sports, DEI, horrible trade deals, rampant crime, and so much more!” wrote Trump.

“President Xi was not referring to the incredible rise that the United States has displayed to the world during the 16 spectacular months of the Trump Administration, which includes all-time high stock markets and 401K’s, military victory and thriving relationship in Venezuela, the military decimation of Iran (to be continued!),” he added.

Trump has repeatedly stated that the United States will not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons, and he reiterated that position again Tuesday before departing for China.

Speaking to reporters at the time, Trump warned Tehran that it must accept American conditions for ending the conflict and resolving concerns surrounding its nuclear activities.

“They’ll either do the right thing, or we’ll finish the job,” Trump said, rejecting the idea that rising prices in the US pushed him to seek an end to the war.

{Matzav.com}