By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON, April 24 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump told Reuters on Friday that Iran plans to make an offer aimed at satisfying U.S. demands, as peace talks were expected to resume in Pakistan.
“They’re making an offer and we’ll have to see,” Trump said during a phone interview.
Trump said he did not know what the offer would be yet. He has been adamant that any deal include Iran giving up its enriched uranium and allowing freedom of oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner plan to depart on Saturday for the Pakistani capital Islamabad for talks with an Iranian delegation.
Trump on Thursday had expressed concern about who was leading Iran, and U.S. officials have said they believe the leadership is fractured.
On Friday, when asked who the U.S. was negotiating with, Trump said: “I don’t want to say that, but we’re dealing with the people that are in charge now.”
He declined to provide names.
Reuters reported earlier that Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was expected in Islamabad on Friday to discuss proposals for restarting peace talks with the U.S.
Trump has insisted the U.S. military will maintain a blockade against Iran’s ports until an agreement is reached.
When asked what is needed to lift the blockade, Trump said: “I’d have to be able to answer that question later. I have to see what they’re offering.”
(Reporting by Steve Holland; Writing by Katharine Jackson; editing by Michelle Nichols, Rod Nickel)
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