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Trump says Iran deal 'very close,' may go to Pakistan to sign
Agencies
Published: 17 Apr 2026, 12:27 AM
US President Donald Trump raises his fist as he boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on 16 April 2026. Photo: AFP
President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States and Iran were "very close" to a peace deal and that he would consider going to Pakistan to sign an agreement.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump added that Tehran had agreed to hand over its store of enriched uranium, as the two countries mull further talks in Islamabad.
"We're very close to making a deal with Iran," Trump said as he left to board his helicopter for a trip to Las Vegas.
"We had to make sure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon... They've totally agreed to that. They've agreed to almost everything, so maybe if they can get to the table, there's a difference."
Asked if he might travel to Pakistan to sign an agreement, Trump added: I might go, yeah. If the deal is signed in Islamabad, I might go."
The US leader praised Pakistan's "really great" Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and powerful army chief Asim Munir for their role in brokering the talks with Iran.
‘Hope Hezbollah acts nicely,’ Trump says after Israel-Lebanon ceasefire
US President Trump has just posted on his Truth Social platform, addressing Hezbollah, hours after announcing the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
“I hope Hezbollah acts nicely and well during this important period of time. It will be an GREAT moment for them if they do,” Trump wrote in the post.
“No more killing. Must finally have PEACE!” [Al Jazeera]
Jordan, UAE welcome Israel-Lebanon ceasefire agreement
Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs has welcomed the ceasefire announcement by US President Donald Trump, commending the Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and other officials in the negotiations.
In a statement, the ministry reiterated its “firm support” for the Lebanese state in asserting its sovereignty over all its territory, ensuring that arms remain exclusively in the hands of the state, and reactivating its national institutions.
The United Arab Emirates has also welcomed the ceasefire agreement, praising the diplomatic efforts that led to the breakthrough.
In a statement, the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it hoped that the development would represent a positive step towards fostering a supportive environment for regional stability and underscored the importance of continued international coordination to prevent further escalation. [Al Jazeera]
UN chief urges 'respect' for Israel-Lebanon ceasefire
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres welcomed the 10-day ceasefire announced Thursday between Israel and Lebanon, and urged "all actors" to fully respect the truce, his spokesman said.
"The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement of a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, and commends the role of the United States in facilitating" it, Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement, adding he hoped the temporary halt to fighting would "pave the way for negotiations."
Guterres "urges all actors to fully respect the ceasefire and to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, at all times," he said, a statement that may extend beyond Israel and Lebanon to the militant group Hezbollah. [AFP]
G7 finance ministers say its ‘urgent’ to limit economic cost of prolonged conflict
G7 finance ministers say it is “urgent” to limit the global economic costs of a prolonged conflict in the Middle East.
The ministers were meeting with central bank governors in Washington and released a statement following their meeting.
“G7 members reaffirmed the pressing need to move toward a lasting peace,” it said. [Al Jazeera]
Ceasefire violations reported as Israeli artillery shelling, aerial surveillance persist
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reports that despite the ceasefire officially entering into force less than an hour ago, Israeli artillery continues to shell the towns of Khiam and Dibbine in southern Lebanon.
The shelling is reportedly accompanied by sweeping operations involving machinegun fire in the area.
Additionally, in the western Bekaa Valley, the NNA reported intense activity by Israeli reconnaissance aircraft over the Rashaya region and the western slopes of Jabal al-Sheikh. [Al Jazeera]
10-day ceasefire deal between Israel, Lebanon takes effect
A 10-day ceasefire deal agreed between Lebanon and Israel took effect on Thursday, as US President Donald Trump said he was trying to set up the first-ever meeting between the leaders of the two countries.
The truce, which Trump said would begin at midnight local time in Lebanon and Israel (2100 GMT), comes as Washington steps up efforts to reach a deal to end the war with Iran, with Tehran insisting a Lebanon truce must be part of any agreement. [Read More]
Italy's Meloni hails Israel-Lebanon ceasefire as 'excellent news'
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed Thursday a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that was announced by US President Donald Trump, saying it was "crucial" that it be respected.
The ceasefire "is excellent news, and I congratulate the Lebanese and Israeli governments for reaching this important milestone thanks to US mediation," Meloni said in a statement.
She said it was "now crucial that the ceasefire be fully respected" and hoped it will lead to "a full and lasting peace."
Italy will "continue to play its part by contributing to peacekeeping" through UNIFIL, and "by supporting Lebanese sovereignty, including by strengthening the Lebanese Armed Forces," she said.
UNIFIL is a peacekeeping mission established in 1978 in southern Lebanon.
Italy currently has 754 troops in UNIFIL, the second-largest contingent after Indonesia's 755, according to UN figures published 30 March.
Rome accused Israeli forces earlier this week of firing warning shots at a convoy of Italian UN peacekeepers in Lebanon in an incident that it said damaged at least one vehicle but caused no injuries. [AFP]
Israel, Hezbollah exchange fire before truce starts
Israeli rescue services said two people were injured on Thursday as the army and Iran-backed Hezbollah exchanged new cross-border fire shortly before a truce was due to take effect.
"The IDF is currently striking launchers from which the Hezbollah terrorist organisation launched rockets to northern Israel a short while ago," the army said in a statement.
Israel's emergency service, Magen David Adom, said in a statement that two people were wounded, one of them seriously, in Karmiel and Nahariya after rocket fire in northern Israel.
US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire that would come into effect at 2100 GMT.
Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East war on 2 March after the Lebanon-based armed group Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, attacked Israel. [AFP]
Trump says pope must understand 'nasty world'
US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Pope Leo XIV can say what he likes about world issues, but needs to understand the realities of a "nasty world."
The American president and the US-born pontiff have squared off in recent days, with Trump roundly criticising the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics on everything from Iran to immigration. [Read More]
US says Lebanon truce may be extended by mutual agreement
Israel and Lebanon will implement a 10-day ceasefire to enable negotiations toward a permanent security and peace agreement, the US State Department has said.
It added that the ceasefire period may be extended by mutual agreement. [Al Jazeera]
Trump says Iran deal 'very close,' may go to Pakistan to sign
President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States and Iran were "very close" to a peace deal and that he would consider going to Pakistan to sign an agreement.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump added that Tehran had agreed to hand over its store of enriched uranium, as the two countries mull further talks in Islamabad.
"We're very close to making a deal with Iran," Trump said as he left to board his helicopter for a trip to Las Vegas. [Read More]
Netanyahu says Lebanon truce opportunity for 'historic peace'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that the ten-day ceasefire with Lebanon offered an opportunity for a "historic peace agreement" with Beirut, but insisted that the disarmament of militant group Hezbollah remained a precondition.
"We have an opportunity to make a historic peace agreement with Lebanon," Netanyahu said in a televised speech.
US President Donald Trump earlier said that Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had agreed to a ten-day truce starting at 2100 GMT on Thursday evening, noting that it would include Hezbollah. [Read More]
Iran has agreed to hand over its enriched uranium supply: Trump
US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran has agreed to hand over its store of enriched uranium and that the two sides were "close" to a peace deal ending six weeks of conflict.
"They've agreed to give us back the nuclear dust," Trump told reporters at the White House, using his name for the enriched uranium stockpile that the United States says could be used to build nuclear weapons.
"There's a very good chance we're going to make a deal." [AFP]
Israeli strike kills at least eight in Lebanon
Lebanon’s National News Agency reports that Israeli forces have carried out a deadly strike on the town of Ghaziyeh in the Zahrani area, killing at least eight civilians.
Emergency teams say at least 33 others have been injured, while a number of people remain missing under the rubble.
Rescue operations are ongoing as crews work to clear debris and search for survivors.
The attack marks one of the deadliest incidents in recent days, with the toll expected to rise as recovery efforts continue. [Al Jazeera]
US House rejects bid to curb Trump's Iran war powers
The US House of Representatives on Thursday rejected an effort to curb President Donald Trump's authority to wage war in Iran, another setback in Democrats' campaign to force Congress back into decisions over military action in the Middle East.
The vote, held after Democrats forced the issue onto the floor, came as unease over the six-week conflict continued to spread on Capitol Hill, with lawmakers wary of rising costs, an unclear endgame and the risk of a wider war. [Read More]
Lebanese PM 'welcomes' Israel ceasefire announced by Trump
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he "welcomes" US President Donald Trump's announcement of a 10-day ceasefire with Israel, which was due to start at 2100 GMT on Thursday evening.
Salam said he welcomes the ceasefire, "which is a key Lebanese demand that we have pursued since the very first day of the war" between Hezbollah and Israel, after Trump announced the temporary truce following phone calls with the presidents of the two countries.
"As I congratulate all Lebanese on this achievement, I pray for mercy upon the martyrs who have fallen, and I affirm my solidarity with their families," Salam said, thanking a number of European and Arab states for their "efforts" to reach a ceasefire. [AFP]
EU chief welcomes Israel-Lebanon ceasefire as 'a relief'
European Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen welcomed a 10-day ceasefire declared Thursday between Israel and Lebanon that was announced by US President Donald Trump.
"This is a relief, as this conflict has already claimed far too many lives," von der Leyen wrote on X, adding that it must lead to "permanent peace".
"Europe will continue to call for the full respect of Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity," she said. [AFP]
Trump says Israel-Lebanon ceasefire includes Hezbollah
US President Donald Trump said a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon starting Thursday would include Iran-backed Hezbollah.
"Today they're going to be having a ceasefire, and that'll include Hezbollah," Trump told reporters at the White House. [AFP]
Trump says Israel, Lebanon agree to ceasefire
US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a ceasefire Thursday, and said he was trying to set up the first-ever meeting between the leaders of the two countries.
Following what he called "excellent" phone calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Trump said the truce would begin within hours.
"These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST," or 2100 GMT, Trump said on his Truth Social network. [AFP]