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United States President Donald Trump said he has no fixed timeline for Iran to return to the negotiating table to end the conflict with Washington, telling Al Jazeera that he is "not in a hurry" for talks to resume.
"I have no time schedule, none. I'm not in a hurry. I have no time schedule at all," Trump told Al Jazeera on Wednesday when asked how much time he was giving Iran to return to negotiations. Trump said the US was "winning very big" and pointed to economic difficulties in Iran as he explained his position. "We are winning very big. They've got massive inflation, their economy is falling apart, they're treating their people very badly, they are killing many, many protesters. I have no time schedule; whatever it takes," he said. Asked whether economic measures were more effective than military strikes, Trump said, "I think they are both effective." Meanwhile, Qatar Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani will arrive in Tehran on Thursday to meet with Iranian officials and discuss ways to de-escalate tensions and create conditions conducive to dialogue, Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said. The visit comes in line with Qatar's "firm position that the diplomatic path is the best means of resolving differences & promoting security & stability in the region," Al Ansari said. The discussions will also address "freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz & the need for it to return to the status quo prior to February 28," he said. The remarks and visit come amid renewed diplomatic efforts involving Qatar and Pakistan to de-escalate the conflict between the United States and Iran, nearly six months after Washington launched its military campaign against Tehran on February 28. Trump, meanwhile, has said that he believes Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is still alive despite suffering severe injuries during ongoing military operations. "I don't think he's dead," Trump told US commentator Glenn Beck, adding that Khamenei was "very seriously wounded." Separately, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has informed several allied foreign ministers that Washington does not currently intend to launch fresh military strikes against Iran "for the time being", Axios reported. According to the report, the Trump administration is instead seeking to increase pressure through naval blockades and economic measures while keeping petroleum flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. US officials said the military option remains available if Tehran strikes first. On August 24, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the launch of "Operation Economic Outcast", saying the campaign aims to sever Iran's financial connections around the world and cut off revenue sources supporting the Iranian regime. Qatar's diplomatic push also follows a recent visit to Tehran by Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, who reportedly delivered a US proposal offering to lift blockades and economic sanctions in exchange for Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz and halting attacks by regional proxies, Al Arabiya English reported. Qatar and Pakistan are acting as key diplomatic mediators in efforts to de-escalate the US-Iran conflict. Friday, August 28, will mark six months since the US launched its war on Iran. Trump had earlier said the conflict would last just "four to six" weeks. In June, the United States and Iran signed a 60-day memorandum of understanding covering issues including transit through the Strait of Hormuz, lifting sanctions on Iran and talks on Tehran's nuclear programme. The agreement expired earlier this month. (ANI)
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