Iran says deal to end war 'declaration of US defeat' US president clashes with Republicans in testy Capitol vi
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday. any final agreement with Iran that included fees on shipping or maritime transit would be "unacceptable" to the US.
Speaking to reporters during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House. Trump was asked whether he would oppose a final Iran deal if it allowed any form of charges on shipping or maritime activity.
"It would be unacceptable to me," said Trump. The president argued that permitting fees would set a precedent that could encourage similar demands elsewhere.
"If you did that for them, you'd have to do it for other people," he said. "I wouldn't allow it there either. Yeah, it would. It would be a game changer."
Meanwhile, Trump jolted Republicans during a fiery appearance at the US Capitol, scrapping a housing bill signing ceremony. clashing behind closed doors with a party rebel who challenged him over the Iran war.
Trump had been expected to sign the bipartisan housing affordability package at a high-profile event. giving Republicans a chance to tout action on one of voters' biggest economic concerns ahead of November's midterm elections.
But the president abruptly cancelled the ceremony two hours beforehand. saying he would not sign the bill until Congress passed the SAVE America Act, his long-sought package of voting restrictions.
"Today's Housing News Conference. Signing is hereby cancelled until such time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT, which I consider to be a National Emergency," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
The election measure would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo identification to cast a ballot. Democrats denounce it as an assault on voting rights, while Trump claims it is needed to protect elections.
The bill has already stalled in the Senate. where Republican leaders have warned Trump that it lacks the support needed to overcome the chamber's rules.
Trump. who still regularly repeats the false claim that he won the 2020 election, nevertheless kept pressing the issue as he went ahead with a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans.
The gathering turned combative when Trump challenged senators who had voted the previous day to rebuke him over the Iran war. according to US media reports.
Four Republicans joined Democrats in adopting a largely symbolic resolution directing Trump to end hostilities with Iran or seek congressional authorization to continue them.
Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana later told reporters that Trump asked why any Republican would support the measure.
"I stood and said, 'You have not told the American people what's going on. It was supposed to last four weeks; it's lasted four months. Our original objectives have not been achieved. I want to know what's going on,'" Cassidy said, according to The Hill and CNN.
Cassidy lost a primary election in Louisiana in May to a Trump-backed Republican. meaning he is ineligible for re-election in November.
After leaving the meeting, Trump still appeared irritated, telling reporters: "I don't like a few people,. that's okayI think you know who they are."
The war powers vote came as Trump tries to turn a preliminary agreement with Iran into a final settlement after months of conflict that rattled global energy markets. exposed rifts within his own party.
The deal between Iran. the United States to end the Middle East war is "America's declaration of defeat", Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the head of the Iranian negotiating team, said on Wednesday.
"The Islamabad understanding was not the result of pressure. coercion, but rather the result of the resistance and authority of the brave Iranian nation," Ghalibaf said, referring to the text finalised through Pakistani mediation.
"That is why. the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding became a declaration of America's defeat," he said, adding that security in the Middle East must be ensured by the countries of the region.
"We consider the withdrawal of foreign military forces from the region a strategic goal" because, "not only do they not create sustainable security. they are also a source of instability", said Ghalibaf, who also serves as his country's parliament speaker.
He was addressing a conference in Azerbaijan's capital Baku on Wednesday, which was broadcast on Iranian television.
The United States maintains military bases in the Middle East. the host countries were targeted by Iranian attacks during the war in retaliation for the bombing of Iran by US and Israeli forces.
"We see the future of the region not in confrontation but in interaction,. not in elimination but in coexistence," Ghalibaf said, in what appeared to be an overture to Gulf states targeted by Iranian strikes.
Iran's chief negotiator also reiterated that peace in Lebanon was a fundamental pillar of reaching a definitive agreement with Washington.
"For us, the ceasefire in Lebanon has been. is as important as the ceasefire in Iran, and the end of the war in Lebanon has been as important as the end of the war in Iran."
The initial accord between the U.S. and Iran has lifted Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, allowing traffic to flow again through a waterway that previously handled a fifth of global oil. liquefied natural gas supplies. Benchmark oil prices fell on Wednesday to their lowest level since before the war started as supply concerns eased further.
But conflicting accounts have emerged over elements of the deal, which has prompted criticism of Trump at home. in the Middle East. Financial incentives for Iran, inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities, control of the strait. Israel's parallel war in Lebanon have all been disputed, highlighting the fragility of the accord.
The deal sets up 60 days of talks to tackle thornier details, including Iran's nuclear program.
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see ourComments FAQ
Discussion
Sign in to join the thread, react, and share images.