Donald Trump today said he was “very optimistic” about the possibility of reaching a peace deal with Iran ahead of important negotiations in Pakistan this weekend despite the fragile ceasefire in place.
“They express themselves very differently in the meetings than what they say in the press. They are much more reasonable,” the US president said in a telephone interview with NBC News talking about Iranian officials.
“They accept everything they have to accept. Don’t forget that they were defeated,” he added.
The ceasefire between the US and Iran, now in its second day, has brought relative calm, with no reported bombing in Iran or the Gulf after five weeks of a war that has left thousands dead, mostly in Iran and Lebanon.
But the international community fears that the ceasefire could be compromised by continued Israeli aerial bombardment of Lebanon.
In this regard, Trump confirmed to NBC News that he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday and asked for restraint.
