ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump threatened to attack Iran “very hard” on Wednesday amid renewed tensions in the Middle East, saying that Pakistan was still trying to persuade Tehran to agree to a peace deal with Washington.
Trump’s comments came as the US and Iran traded fire on Wednesday following the downing of an American helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz this week. The escalation threatens to unravel a fragile ceasefire between both sides in April at Pakistan’s insistence.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he gave Iran “a break at the request of Pakistan,” specifically its Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, describing them as “great.”
“They became friendly to me, very friendly, and they’re close to Iran,” Trump said about Pakistan. “And they work, and they still are working on trying them [Iran] to do what’s right. But we want a deal that’s meaningful. We want a deal that works.”
The American president said Iran had agreed that it would not obtain a nuclear weapon. However, he said an agreement still needs to be signed.
Trump also revealed that the US has been secretly taking out “millions of barrels of oils” from Iran.
“Now that they figured it out, I can tell you... I wanted to say it so badly, I didn’t want to ruin it, but it was very hard,” he said.
“And that’s why it’s at $85-90 a barrel, instead of $250,” he added.
Pakistan, owing to its close relations with Trump and Iran, has played the role of the chief mediator between both sides since the war began in February.
Islamabad hosted the first round of talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad on Apr. 11. However, the talks failed to produce a breakthrough.
Pakistan has since then relayed messages and peace proposals between both sides.
