Sawt Falasteen - US warns capable of resuming war with Iran as deal remains elusive

The White House had signalled Trump was close to a decision on an initial deal after weeks of mixed signals in tenuous negotiations, though Tehran denied there was a final agreement on ending the Middle East conflict that has jolted the global economy.

US sources had told AFP the deal was waiting on Trump's sign-off, but the president had made no decision after a two-hour meeting in the White House Situation Room on Friday in Washington.

Meanwhile, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, while attending a major Asia defence summit in Singapore, said on Saturday local time that Washington could restart the war if it wanted.

"Our ability to recommence if necessary is (that) we are more than capable, our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe because of how we balance exquisite and more plentiful munitions," he said.

That echoed the US Central Comand (CENTCOM), which posted on X that American forces "remain present and vigilant across the region."

The efforts to strike a deal mediated by Pakistan, were thrown into question this week by US strikes on the southern Iranian port of Bandar Abbas countered by retaliatory fire from Iran.

Nevertheless diplomacy continued including in a parallel process to stop fighting in Lebanon - which Iran has insisted be included in any formal end to the war and where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israeli forces had advanced further even as military delegations from both nations met at the Pentagon in Washington.

Trump's priorities in any deal included Iran agreeing to never developing nuclear weapons and the re-opening of the blockaded Strait of Hormuz maritime route, he said in a social media post in which he also announced the Situation Room meeting.

"President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his red lines," a White House official told AFP after the meeting.

"Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon," the official added.

- Competing conditions -

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei pushed back on Trump's conditions, telling state media that the Islamic republic "said goodbye to the language of 'must' 47 years ago."

Exchanges of messages were continuing, he added, but "no final agreement has been reached yet."

In a phone call with the Emir of Qatar, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran was ready to achieve a "dignified framework" to end the war, according to state news agency IRNA.

In his post, Trump said Tehran would remove mines from the Strait of Hormuz and end its closure of the waterway with "no tolls," while the US would lift its parallel blockade of Iranian ports.

The two countries would also coordinate on removing and destroying Iran's enriched uranium, he said, adding that "no money will be exchanged, until further notice."

Iran's Fars news agency, however, cited sources as saying Tehran was demanding "the immediate release of $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets" before moving to the next phase of negotiations.

On the toll-free reopening of Hormuz, the sources said "no such clause appears in the text of the agreement," while Trump's comment on destroying Iran's nuclear material "is fundamentally baseless."

Ali, a resident of the city of Tonekabon north of Tehran, said there would likely be more strife to come.

"Both sides are speaking in a way that keeps their supporters satisfied. It's not clear who is telling the truth," the 49-year-old said.

- Fighting in Lebanon -

On the war's other main front in Lebanon, heavy fighting continued.

Netanyahu announced Friday that Israeli forces had advanced beyond a river that runs around 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of the Lebanon-Israel frontier.

Hezbollah also said its forces launched attacks on northern Israel as well as Israeli troops trying to advance near the medieval Beaufort fortress, also known as Qalaat al-Chakif, a site Israel's forces had used as a base during their two-decade occupation of southern Lebanon ending in 2000.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was supposed to have taken effect on April 17, but has never been observed with both sides accusing each other of violating the truce.

Lebanon was drawn into the war in early March when Tehran-backed Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel over the killing of Iran's supreme leader in US-Israeli attacks, prompting Israeli strikes and a ground invasion.

Israel and Lebanon began direct talks in April, with a fourth round expected next week in Washington following the meeting of military delegations from both sides on Friday.

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N.Shalabi--SF-PST