How many times has Donald Trump said an Iran deal was close
Updated . First published at
Yesterday Donald Trump told reporters that a deal with Iran was “close”.
And if that seems familiar, there’s good reason.
Donald Trump has said an Iran deal was close 38 times. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
Because since the war began on February 28, the US president has claimed Iran was very close to making a deal at least 38 times.
“We’re in the final throes of what will be a very, very good deal, that will not allow in any way, shape, or form nuclear weapons,” he told reporters after leaving the NBA playoffs in New York.
“The strait will open up right away. It’ll open up immediately upon signing, which could be in two or three days.”
Hours before, Iran had successfully shot down a US helicopter.
Trump was en route to or already at Madison Square Garden at the time the Apache was shot down near the Strait of Hormuz.
And hours later he announced retaliatory strikes against Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz has been in conflict since the start of the US/Iran war. Getty Images
“I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,” he said on Truth Social more than 12 hours after the strike was first reported.
“There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. “Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.”
The frequent comments about imminent deals with Iran has drawn the scepticism of Democrats in Congress.
“It’s either total incompetence or they’re not being honest,” Representative Ro Khanna said.
“I don’t understand it. You’re the American president. You can’t end a war with a country that has 0.44% of global GDP?
“Tell Netanyahu to stop the bombing in Lebanon and make a deal with Iran.
“I mean, Obama negotiated a deal.”
Trump ripped up the anti-nuclear proliferation deal that Obama made with Iran during his administration.
President-elect Donald Trump meeting with then-President Barack Obama in the White House. (AAP) AAP
The end of that deal gave Iran the green light to restart a nuclear weapons program.
But The Atlantic reports that Trump is unwilling to make a deal that would be worse for the US than the one Obama negotiated.
For now, peace between the US and Iran seems as distant as ever.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi issued strong words in a statement.
“Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the US opted to test our determination,” he said.
“Our Powerful Armed Forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered.
“Leave our region if you want to be safe.
“History of the Persian Gulf has many chapters on dire fates of intruding outsiders.”
And Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf issued a veiled threat on social media.
“We prefer the language of diplomacy, but we speak other languages far more fluently. Break your commitments, and we’ll switch to what we speak best,” he wrote.
“You ride the horse you saddled!”
Both Araghchi and Ghalibaf are considered moderates in Iranian politics.
The war has now been going on for three months and 14 days.
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