WASHINGTON, D.C.: On April 15, U.S. President Donald Trump said that China had agreed not to send weapons to Iran, even though there were reports that China might be planning to do so.
China’s Foreign Ministry has denied several times in recent days that it is giving any military support to Iran.
In an interview on the same day, Trump said the war in Iran was almost over. He has repeatedly claimed a U.S. victory since the early days of the war, even though the situation on the ground remains complex.
U.S. Central Command said it had taken control of the sea and that the blockade of Iranian ports was fully in place within 36 hours of its start, according to a social media statement late Monday.
Officials in the region said that efforts to extend a ceasefire between the United States and Iran are making progress, and both sides are expected to return to talks soon. However, a senior U.S. official said the United States has not officially agreed to extend the ceasefire and is still in contact with Iran.
At the same time, UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Iran’s parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf spoke on the phone about regional developments and ways to reduce tensions, according to UAE state news agency WAM, without giving more details.
In Seoul, South Korea, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Director General Rafael Grossi, said that a potential U.S.-Iran agreement to end their war in the Middle East must include detailed measures to verify Iran’s nuclear activities.
Grossi said there must be a thorough verification of Iran’s nuclear program.
The Trump administration said stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon is one of its main goals in the war. Iran has said it is not trying to build such weapons, but it has refused to accept limits on its nuclear program.
A senior Iranian military official threatened to halt trade in the region if the U.S. does not lift its naval blockade, underscoring tensions that are overshadowing the diplomacy.
Grossi said that because Iran’s nuclear program is large and complex, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) must be involved. He warned that without their presence, any deal would not be real, but only appear to be one. He added that any agreement would require strict, detailed checks.
According to a confidential IAEA report shared with member countries and seen earlier this year, Iran has not allowed inspectors to visit nuclear sites that Israel and the United States bombed during a 12-day war in June.
The report said the agency cannot confirm whether Iran has stopped enriching uranium or determine how much uranium it currently has at those sites.
Iran has long said its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. However, the IAEA and Western countries believe Iran had an organized nuclear weapons program until 2003.
The IAEA says Iran currently has about 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity, which is close to the 90 percent needed for weapons-grade material. Grossi has said this amount could be enough for up to 10 nuclear bombs if Iran chooses to make them.
Under IAEA rules, such highly enriched material should normally be checked every month.
