“There are about three days left,” Trump said regarding the risk of an explosion at Iran’s oil infrastructure
US President Donald Trump stated on Fox News that Iran’s oil infrastructure could explode in around three days due to technical problems exacerbated by the blockade of ships. According to him, if oil transport ceases due to a lack of ships, the system could fail and cause an explosion.
Trump noted that such incidents could occur both for technical reasons and due to conditions deep underground. He added that in the event of an explosion, it would be impossible to restore the system to its previous state.
His statement came against the backdrop of the collapse of the latest round of talks between the US and Iran on ending the war. It was planned that the talks would take place following preliminary contacts between delegations led by US Vice-President J.D. Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf; however, the Iranian side expressed doubts about its trust in the US following the blockade of ports.
Trump stated on social media that Iran could begin negotiations at any moment if it so wished. The White House had previously announced plans to send Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Islamabad on Saturday evening. According to him, Iran has presented its vision for a possible end to the war and is awaiting an assessment of the US’s readiness for diplomacy.
Meanwhile, another ceasefire agreement, between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, has been violated. The sides exchanged strikes, after which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to intensify attacks on targets in Lebanon.
Trump had previously announced an indefinite extension of the ceasefire with Iran. Despite this, after two months of war, the economic consequences are mounting, particularly due to disruptions in the supply of oil, liquefied natural gas and other resources against the backdrop of the near-total blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Iranian military command has stated that if US military operations, including the naval blockade, continue, the country will respond harshly.
Earlier, Tehran had emphasised that negotiations with the US were possible only in an indirect format. In Islamabad, Abbas Araghchi held meetings with Army Commander Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the terms of the negotiations.
He then travelled to Oman, which had previously acted as a mediator in the talks. A visit to Russia is next on his itinerary.
Trump also stated that following the cancellation of the US delegation’s trip, Iran had sent a new proposal, without revealing its details. He emphasised that one of the US conditions remains Iran’s renunciation of nuclear weapons.
Controversial issues include Iran’s nuclear programme, the situation surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s missile programme and its support for armed groups in the region.
Iran notes that previous indirect talks with the US ended in military action by the US and Israel, which has affected the level of trust.
