AGENCIES

Iran yesterday accused President Donald Trump of “betraying diplomacy for the third time” as United states warned it was “more than capable” of resuming war with Iran.

The White House had signalled Trump was close to a decision on an initial deal after weeks of mixed signals in tenuous negotiations, though Tehran denied there was a final agreement on ending the Middle East conflict that has jolted the global economy.

US sources had told AFP the deal was waiting on Trump’s sign-off, but the president had made no decision after a two-hour meeting in the White House Situation Room on Friday in Washington. He said any peace deal must adhere to his red lines, including Tehran never being able to develop nuclear weapons.

Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, yesterday said that Trump was “betraying diplomacy for the third time” by continuing a naval blockade imposed on Iran and making what he described as excessive demands in negotiations.

Meanwhile, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, while attending a major Asia defence summit in Singapore, said that Washington could restart the war if it wanted.

“Our ability to recommence if necessary is (that) we are more than capable, our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe because of how we balance exquisite and more plentiful munitions,” he said yesterday.

That echoed the US Central Comand (CENTCOM), which posted on X that American forces “remain present and vigilant across the region.”

The efforts to strike a “Iran

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