US President Donald Trump said that diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement with Iran are continuing. He wrote this on the Truth Social Network in addition to his comments in a TV interview.
“Negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran continue, and at a rapid pace,” Trump wrote without going into detail.
The social media post came amid uncertainty over the June 1 talks.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency earlier reported that Iran would stop participating in text messaging exchanges through intermediaries, which appeared to be linked to intensifying Israeli attacks in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group, which the United States considers a terrorist organisation.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning what it said were Israeli ceasefire violations and added that Washington was responsible for “the consequences and impact of this situation.”
Then, in a separate message to Truth Social, Trump said he had spoken to both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and, through intermediaries, Hezbollah.
“Israel will not attack them and they will not attack Israel”, he wrote.
On 31 May, the Israeli military said it had expanded its ground operations in southern Lebanon to additional areas and that its forces had crossed the Litani River to reinforce Israeli military positions in the region.
A ceasefire between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group, which the United States considers a terrorist organisation, officially went into effect on April 17 but has been largely unenforced as both sides accuse each other of violations.