U.S. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that all American aircraft, ships, weapons, and military personnel will stay positioned near Iran until a formal agreement with the nation is reached. In a late-night Truth Social post, Trump emphasized that U.S. forces would remain “in place, in and around” Iran during negotiations.
The president stated that Iran must achieve two conditions: possessing “NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS” and ensuring the Strait of Hormuz remains “OPEN & SAFE.” Trump added that if diplomatic efforts fail—which he described as “highly unlikely”—the U.S. would respond with a “Shootin’ Starts,” calling it “bigger, better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before.”
Negotiations between Washington and Tehran are scheduled to begin in Islamabad, Pakistan on Saturday. Trump separately condemned The New York Times and CNN for reporting what he called a “totally FAKE TEN POINT PLAN” related to Iran talks, labeling the accounts’ claims a “made up HOAX” designed to undermine peace efforts.
