President Donald Trump warned late Wednesday that the U.S. military will remain deployed around Iran. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
U.S. military forces will remain deployed around Iran until a “REAL AGREEMENT” is reached and fully complied with, President Donald Trump warned late Wednesday amid disputes and uncertainty over key terms of the cease-fire announced a day earlier.
“All U.S. Ships, Aircraft and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the ‘Shootin’ Starts,’ bigger, and better and stronger than anyone has ever seen before.”
Trump issued the warning ahead of talks expected later this week in Pakistan and as the two-week cease-fire announced a day earlier came under strain over whether it covered Lebanon and whether Iran would be allowed to continue enriching uranium.
Trump said the United States accepted Iran’s 10-point plan as the foundation for negotiations.
Iran and mediator Pakistan said the cease-fire included a halt to fighting in all regions, including Lebanon, but both Israel and the United States have publicly disagreed, and Israel has continued to attack its northern neighbor.
In response, Iran has accused Israel of violating the new deal and threatened to again restrict access to the Strait of Hormuz.
“The Iran-U.S. cease-fire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose — cease-fire or continued war via Israel,” Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Aragchi of Iran said in a statement.
Opening the strait was a stated demand from the United States in securing a cease-fire deal. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during a Wednesday press conference that what Iran claims publicly is not necessarily what they are telling the Trump administration behind closed doors.
“I will reiterate the president’s expectation and demand that the Strait of Hormuz is reopened immediately, quickly and safely. That is the expectation,” she said.
“It has been relayed to him privately that that is what’s taking place and these reports publicly are false.”
Uncertainty also hangs over Iran’s ability to enrich uranium. Iran said that the deal states that there is an “acceptance of enrichment.”
Trump has responded online, stating that “there will be no enrichment of uranium,” with Leavitt also stating this condition as one of “the president’s red lines.”
“The idea that President Trump would ever accept an Iranian wish list as a deal is completely absurd,” Leavitt said.
“The president will only make a deal that serves in the best interests of the United States of America.”
After the deal was announced, Trump came under staunch criticism from Democrats accusing him of caving to Iran’s conditions.
“Let me get this straight. Trump started a war, had American servicemembers and innocent civilians killed, gave control of the Strait of Hormuz to the Iranians and allowed them to keep their enriched uranium, and now he’s declaring victory,” Rep. Shri Tanedar, D-Mich., said online Wednesday.
“Apparently, Trump’s ‘Art of the Deal’ is screwing over the American people,” Tanedar added, referring to Trump’s 1987 business-advice and memoir.
Trump has lashed out at reports citing the Iranians, stating the only conditions acceptable to the United States will be discussed behind closed doors.
“It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE,” Trump said in his late Wednesday statement.
“In the meantime our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest.”
