What happened
President Donald Trump is due to meet Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Qatar’s foreign minister, at the White House on Monday in a private meeting focused on ending the conflict with Iran.
Qatar has played a key intermediary role between Washington and Tehran. Al-Thani said both countries are continuing to work toward an agreement, adding that they cannot wait for a perfect deal and hope to reach a good one.
Trump said he was highly unlikely to order new attacks on Iran if negotiations make progress, telling CNN’s Jim Sciutto during a phone interview that the answer depends on whether Tehran signs a very strong agreement. He repeated the point to reporters in West Palm Beach, Florida, while preparing to return to Washington.
Trump defended his decision to launch Operation Epic Fury alongside Israel against Iran on February 28, saying Iran would not have nuclear weapons and that the action saved Israel and the Middle East. He also said Task Force Iron Gate remains in full force inside Iran, coupled with what he described as history’s greatest naval blockade.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there was no sign of an imminent breakthrough, describing Iranian demands as unacceptable and in some cases outrageous and unrealistic. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei responded by asking whether it is unreasonable for Iran to demand the lifting of U.S. illegal sanctions and the naval blockade before negotiations begin, and an end to the war on all fronts.
