- US President Donald Trump said Friday that the “only reason” Iranian officials are still alive is so the US can negotiate with them in an ominous warning ahead of crucial peace talks in Islamabad.
- “The Iranians don’t seem to realize they have no cards, other than a short term extortion of the world by using international waterways,” the US president said in his latest Truth Social rant. “The only reason they are alive today is to negotiate!”
- In a separate post earlier Friday, Trump wrote, “The Iranians are better at handling the Fake News Media, and ‘Public Relations,’ than they are at fighting!”
- US vice president JD Vance boarded a plane en route to Islamabad for negotiations Friday and warned Tehran “not to play us.”
- The ceasefire deal with Iran remains fragile, with Vance adding, “We’re looking forward to negotiation. I think it's going to be positive.”
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