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President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver a significant national address on Wednesday regarding the ongoing conflict with Iran, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
This prime-time announcement follows Trump’s earlier comments on Truth Social, where he claimed that Iran is seeking a ceasefire. However, this assertion was swiftly refuted by Iran, with a spokesperson from the country’s Foreign Ministry labeling the claim as “false and baseless.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking to Al Jazeera, emphasized, “You cannot communicate with the people of Iran through threats and ultimatums. We do not set deadlines when it comes to defending our nation.”
The address is slated to commence at 9 p.m. Eastern Time, and we will provide a live stream of Trump’s speech here once it begins.
In his social media posts, Trump also demanded that Iran cease its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage for global oil shipments, warning that the U.S. would retaliate by bombing Iran “back to the Stone Ages” if the blockade continues. This statement follows a recent shift in Trump’s stance, as he declared that the U.S. would not be responsible for ensuring the security of vessels in the strait, contrasting with an earlier threat to target Iran’s power infrastructure if the strait was not reopened by April 6.
Since the war began on Feb. 28, Trump has offered shifting objectives and repeatedly has said it could be over soon while also threatening to widen the conflict. Thousands of additional U.S. troops are currently heading to the Middle East, and speculation abounds about the purpose of their deployment.
Meanwhile, Trump’s approval rating has been on the decline in recent weeks, reports The Hill. His approval fell below 40% for the first time of his second term last week in Decision Desk HQ’s polling average.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.