(The Hill) — On Tuesday, President Donald Trump expressed optimism about the potential for a peace agreement with Iran, suggesting it could materialize within “two or three days.”
Speaking to journalists in New York after attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, Trump communicated his confidence in the imminent deal, despite recent hostilities involving missile exchanges between Israel and Iran.
“Both sides engaged in back-and-forth exchanges, but now, through my intervention, they have agreed to pause,” Trump explained. “We are now on the brink of finalizing a very promising agreement that will ensure no development of nuclear weapons.”
He further noted that once the agreement is finalized, the Strait of Hormuz would “be reopened immediately upon signing, which may happen in just a couple of days.”
The reopening of the strait has been a significant demand from the U.S., as its closure has disrupted about 20 percent of global oil exports from the Middle East, leading to a spike in energy costs worldwide.
Vice President JD Vance made similar remarks in an interview with Fox News on Monday night, saying that Iranian negotiators are “putting some real things on the table.”
“I don’t assume that anybody’s acting in good faith,” he said in a “Jesse Watters Primetime” interview. “Obviously, we’ve been very involved in these negotiations, Jesse. We’re going to take the attitude of ‘accomplish the president’s mission, but verify over the long term that the Iranians are keeping their end of the bargain.”
Vance later said that Iran does not “want this war to continue. It’s not in their best interests.” But if the deal is reached, the vice president added that “it’s going to be a home run for the American people.”
The president’s remarks also came shortly after two U.S. service members aboard an Apache helicopter were rescued after their vehicle, one of many crucial to the U.S. blockade in the strait, crashed near Oman’s coast. Trump said the two crew members were “fine.”
The ceasefire has shakily held together since April, with some flare-ups not rendering the halt in hostilities moot.
Early on Sunday, Iran retaliated against Israeli attacks in Lebanon. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed its response was successful, though the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) intercepted the Iranian ballistic missiles. Iranian and Pakistani mediators have maintained that a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon is critical to the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.
Israeli officials called for a swift, decisive response, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir calling for Tehran to “burn.” But Trump urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off on any further attacks, having previously blasted him as “f—ing crazy” over the Israeli strikes on Lebanon.
Trump on Sunday said that Netanyahu and other Israeli officials “won’t have any choice” if the U.S. and Iran strike a deal. Netanyahu, however, said on Monday in response to the president that Israel will strike at Iran “whenever necessary.”