Donald Trump said late Wednesday that US forces stationed near Iran will remain in place until a “real agreement” is fully implemented, as Washington navigates a delicate two-week ceasefire with Tehran.
The truce, agreed on Tuesday, aims to ease tensions in the region but has shown early signs of strain. Escalations include Israel bombing activities in Lebanon and apparent contradictions between Washington and Iran over the terms of the ceasefire ahead of planned negotiations.
“All U.S. Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry, and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with,” Trump posted on his Truth Social account.
Trump described the possibility of the deal failing as “highly unlikely,” but warned that the US could revert to “bigger, and better, and stronger” military strikes if the agreement is not respected.
“In the meantime our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest. AMERICA IS BACK!” he wrote.
Under the truce, Iran agreed to reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a maritime chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes. However, Tehran maintains that it will retain “dominion” over the waterway.
Iran also circulated additional demands in a Farsi-language release via state media, including recognition of its uranium enrichment program. These demands were not included in the UN-mediated list, and Trump said the matter of enrichment would be addressed in the final agreement.
Ahead of scheduled talks in Islamabad, Trump reiterated that Iran will have “no nuclear weapons” and emphasized that the “Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE.”
The ongoing ceasefire comes as global energy markets watch closely, given the region’s importance to oil supply and international trade, while diplomatic efforts continue to manage tensions between the US and Iran.
