Washington, 17 April (H.S.):
US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that negotiations with Iran are very close to a landmark agreement, spotlighting Tehran’s concessions on its nuclear program and enriched uranium stockpiles.
Speaking to reporters at the White House before departing for Las Vegas, Trump expressed optimism that a deal could materialize imminently, potentially over the weekend, with Pakistan emerging as a pivotal host for final talks. He underscored Iran’s readiness to surrender its nuclear dust, affirming that key barriers to preventing Tehran from acquiring atomic weapons have been surmounted.
Trump’s buoyant assessment follows marathon discussions, including a recent 14-hour session in Islamabad led by Vice President JD Vance, where progress was noted despite lingering disputes over issues like the Strait of Hormuz and frozen assets. The president lavished praise on Pakistan’s leadership—Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir, whom he called field marshal—for facilitating the dialogue, crediting their efforts with propelling the process forward. This comes amid broader US diplomatic maneuvers, including a fragile Lebanon-Israel ceasefire and overtures to regional players.
In a striking gesture, Trump revealed he is likely to visit Islamabad personally if the pact is sealed there, signaling high-level commitment to consummating the accord. If a deal is signed in Islamabad, I might go, he stated, highlighting Pakistan’s role as a prospective peace hub in the volatile Middle East equation. Such a trip would mark a bold diplomatic flourish, echoing Trump’s penchant for personal summits while underscoring Islamabad’s unexpected centrality in defusing nuclear tensions.
These developments cap months of fraught US-Iran parleys, initiated in Oman in 2025 and accelerated by recent escalations, including US strikes on Iranian assets and Tehran’s oil shipments as goodwill gestures. Yet skeptics, including Iranian officials who have downplayed formal progress, caution that core sticking points persist, with no final text confirmed.
As Trump steers toward closure, his prospective Pakistan journey crystallizes the high stakes: a potential de-escalation dividend or renewed confrontation.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
