President Donald Trump said Monday that a failure to extend the current ceasefire with Iran would likely result in an immediate return to military action, warning that “lots of bombs start going off” if the truce lapses Tuesday.
Trump made the remarks in a telephone interview with PBS News White House correspondent Liz Landers, as U.S. officials prepare for another round of negotiations in Islamabad.
Asked what would happen if the ceasefire expires tomorrow evening, Trump responded: “Then lots of bombs start going off.”
The president also cast doubt on whether Iran would participate in the upcoming talks. “I don’t know. I mean, they’re supposed to be there. We agreed to be there, although they say we didn’t. But no, it was set up. And we’ll see whether or not it’s there. If they’re not there, that’s fine too,” he said.
Trump reiterated that the central U.S. objective in the negotiations remains unchanged. “No nuclear weapons. Very simple. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Very simple,” he told PBS News.
The interview also addressed the role of Jared Kushner in the talks. When asked whether Kushner’s prior business ties in the Middle East, including in Saudi Arabia, posed a conflict, Trump defended his involvement.
“Well, he was there before, long time before, and he’s purely negotiating for the fact that they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon. Whether you have business or not, everybody knows that’s the right thing. He’s a very good negotiator,” Trump said.
He added that the discussions are narrowly focused on Iran’s nuclear program. “We’re not negotiating anything other than the fact that they will not have a nuclear weapon. And that’s pretty basic when you get right down to it,” Trump said, describing the delegation as his “A-team” and praising Kushner’s role, noting he has stepped back from current business activity in the region.
On the domestic front, Trump pushed back on comments from Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who told CNN that gasoline prices may not fall below $3 per gallon until later this year or next. Trump said prices could drop quickly if tensions with Iran ease.
“I disagree with him totally. I think it’ll come roaring down if it ends. If we end it, if Iran does what they should do, it will come roaring down,” the president said.
The ceasefire remains a fragile component of broader efforts to reduce tensions in the region, with the Islamabad talks viewed by U.S. officials as a key opportunity to secure a longer-term agreement aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
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