During his return flight to the U.S. aboard Air Force One, Trump appeared to soften a key demand on Iran, stating that it would be sufficient for Iran to agree to halt uranium enrichment for 20 years—rather than indefinitely. However, he expressed that the level of assurance Iran provided in its latest proposal was still insufficient, emphasizing, “It must be real, concrete 20 years.” He also said he remains optimistic that Iran will ultimately agree to a deal. Additionally, Trump revealed that Iranian officials told him only the United States and China possess the equipment necessary to eliminate what he called “nuclear dust.” Meanwhile, Trump also spoke with Merkel, who stated both sides agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif issued a warning on Friday, saying his government has “no trust whatsoever” in the United States.
On Air Force One, Trump also said he is still considering whether to proceed with a major arms sale to Taiwan, adding that he “will make a decision within a relatively short period ahead,” and that he needs to talk with “the person managing Taiwan” (note: it remains unclear whether he meant Lai or simply “the person in charge of Taiwan affairs within the U.S. government”). He acknowledged discussing the arms sale with Chinese officials during talks, and that the discussion was very detailed. Regarding potential conflict with the 1982 U.S. “Six Assurances” to Taiwan, Trump remarked, “It’s been a long time since 1982,” and that he wouldn’t simply say he couldn’t discuss arms sales to Taiwan just because an agreement was signed back then. Nevertheless, he insisted he did not alter any U.S. foreign policy during the talks. He still refused to answer whether the U.S. would defend Taiwan, but said, “I believe the one thing we need least right now is a war occurring 9,500 miles away.”
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Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865318260027531/
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