Trump says ‘serious’ talks are occurring, threatens strikes on Iran energy, water sites

WASHINGTON— President Trump on Monday threatened to destroy Iran’s vital energy and water infrastructure if a peace deal is not reached, while Tehran continued to deny negotiations were taking place and said Iran was preparing for a land invasion following his arrival. thousands of American soldiers in the region.

If a ceasefire agreement is not reached quickly, the president said in a social media post: “We will end our beautiful ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely destructive all Power Generation Plants, Oil Rigs and Kharg Island (and probably all desalination plants!).”

The threats came just hours after the president insisted Sunday night that diplomatic efforts would “probably” lead to a deal soon and that Iran had allowed 20 more oil cargo ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz as a “sign of respect.”

Trump said the US was “in serious talks with a NEW, MORE REASONABLE REGIME in Iran” but did not provide details.

But Iran continued to pour cold water on the talks on Monday, with foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei calling the Trump administration’s terms “unrealistic, unreasonable and excessive.”

“I don’t know how many people in the United States take the claims of American diplomacy seriously. Our mission is clear, unlike the other side that constantly changes positions,” he said in a comment carried by Iran’s semi-official agency Tasnim News.

Baghaei said that there were no direct negotiations, only messages were given through intermediaries stating that the USA wanted to meet.

On Saturday, the USS Tripoli, a naval warship, arrived in the Middle East carrying about 3,500 sailors and marines and a warplane transport. Earlier this month, San Diego-based USS Boxer and two warships from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit departed Camp Pendleton to join the troop build-up in the area.

These deployments made Iranian diplomatic envoys even more skeptical that America’s peace efforts were sincere.

“The enemy is openly sending messages of negotiation and dialogue while secretly planning a ground attack. [They] “These are nothing but a cover to hide preparations for a land invasion,” senior Iranian lawmaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said on Sunday.

He added that Iranian forces were waiting for American troops to land so they could “set themselves on fire” and “punish their regional partners forever,” according to state media.

Neighboring countries are also desperate for a ceasefire, as officials in both Washington and Tehran increasingly strike hard lines.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi implored Trump to stop the war in a speech at an Egyptian energy conference on Monday.

“I say this to President Trump: No one can stop the war in our Gulf region except you,” Sisi said.

“Please, Mr. President, please. Please help us stop the war. You are capable of doing it.”

Although not directly involved in the war, Egypt is struggling with disruptions to Cairo’s shipping revenue from the Suez Canal, as well as the repercussions of the war on energy, fertilizer and food prices.

“Rich countries can absorb this, but for middle-income and fragile economies, this can have a very, very serious impact on their stability,” Sisi said, noting that predictions that oil will reach $200 per barrel are “not an exaggeration.”

Egypt and Israel signed a peace agreement in 1979 under which Israel would return territory captured during the 1967 war. Although the agreement was unpopular with most Egyptians, it survived despite rising tensions during Israel’s campaign against Hamas.

In December, the two countries officially announced a $35 billion deal expanding Israeli gas exports to Egypt. However, the war with Iran has disrupted supplies, tripling the cost of imports, according to Egyptian officials.

Last week, the government ordered energy-saving measures for a period of one month, including the early closure of most commercial establishments, reducing street lighting and dedicating it to government vehicles.

Jordan, another US regional ally facing energy shortages, took similar steps, banning air conditioners in government offices and private use of government vehicles.

Despite talks for talks, the fighting has shown little sign of abating.

Trump’s call for peace came after new air strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran on Monday. Tehran retaliated by striking a major water and energy facility in Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said they had intercepted missiles from Iran.

On Monday, two UN peacekeepers were killed when an “unknown whereabouts explosion” hit their vehicle near the village of Bani Hayyan in southern Lebanon.

The deaths mark the second fatal incident in two days involving the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, a peacekeeping force established in 1978 that later oversaw the cessation of hostilities between the two countries.

UNIFIL also reported that a peacekeeper was killed Sunday night when a shell exploded at a UNIFIL position.

In a statement made on Monday, UNIFIL said, “We do not know the origin of the bullet. We have launched an investigation to determine all the circumstances.”

Meanwhile, Israel continued to bomb Lebanon, hitting areas near the capital and in the south of the country. The Lebanese army said that one of the attacks targeted a Lebanese army checkpoint, killing a soldier. The death toll has continued to rise since clashes between Hezbollah and Israel broke out earlier this month, Lebanese officials said on Monday.

The Israeli army announced that one of its soldiers was killed and four soldiers were injured in the anti-tank missile attack carried out by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Six soldiers have been killed since Israel restarted its operation in Lebanon.

Hezbollah rockets also killed two civilians, according to Israeli health officials.

Israel’s fire and rescue agency said a fuel tanker and a building at an oil refinery in the northern city of Haifa were hit by debris from the intercepted missile, Israeli daily newspaper Times of Israel reported.

It is unclear whether the missile was launched by Iran, the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, or Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

Deaths from conflict continue to rise; More than 1,900 U.S. military members were killed in Iran, more than 1,200 in Lebanon, 19 in Israel, and 13 in Israel. Millions of people were displaced from their homes in Iran and Lebanon.

Ceballos and Quinton reported from Washington, while Bulos reported from Beirut.