US delegation going to Pakistan on Monday for Iran talks, Trump says
US leader says Iran has committed a "serious violation" of the ceasefire by targeting vessels, but still thinks he can get a peace deal.
US President Donald Trump has said that US representatives are set to reach Islamabad tomorrow evening for negotiations with Iran.
"My Representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan — They will be there tomorrow evening, for Negotiations," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social account on Sunday.
"Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz — A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement!" he wrote, alleging that Iranian forces targeted vessels in the strategic waterway, including a French ship and a UK-flagged freighter.
Trump also said that Iran had threatened to close the strategic waterway, arguing that such a move would be self-damaging, stating: “They’re helping us without knowing, and they are the ones that lose with the closed passage, 500 million dollars a day.”
Trump said global shipping routes were continuing to supply the US, adding that American-bound vessels were heading toward ports in Texas, Louisiana and Alaska.
"We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!" he further wrote.
"They'll come down fast, they'll come down easy and, if they don’t take the DEAL, it will be my Honor to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran, by other Presidents, for the last 47 years," he said.
Ceasefire violation
He added that previous administrations had failed to address Iran over several decades, and reiterated a hardline stance, saying he hoped Tehran would accept the proposal to avoid further escalation.
He further wrote: "IT’S TIME FOR THE IRAN KILLING MACHINE TO END!"
Trump separately said that the peace deal “will happen. One way or another. The nice way or the hard way. It’s going to happen,” according to ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl.
Meanwhile, Iran's foreign ministry said that the US naval blockade on Iranian ports is a violation of the ceasefire as well as an "unlawful and criminal" act.
"The United States' so-called 'blockade' of Iran's ports or coastline is not only a violation of Pakistani-mediated ceasefire but also both unlawful and criminal," said foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei in a post on X.
"Moreover, by deliberately inflicting collective punishment on the Iranian population, it amounts to war crime and crime against humanity," Baqaei added.