Trump believes Israel will honour US-Iran truce deal, but offers no guarantee

WEB DESK: US President Donald Trump has voiced optimism that Israel would honour a potential ceasefire agreement emerging from American talks with Iran, while candidly admitting he could not provide an absolute guarantee of Tel Aviv’s compliance.

According to TRT, speaking to reporters in Florida on Monday, Trump said he had spoken with Israeli officials and believed they would ultimately welcome the outcome of the ongoing diplomatic efforts.

“I think Israel will be very happy with what we have,” he remarked. “This will be peace for Israel, long-term peace, guaranteed peace if this happens.” He quickly added, however, “And you know, I can’t guarantee it, but I think it’s going to, my life is a deal, that’s all I do is deals.”

The comments come amid a fragile diplomatic opening in the US-Israel war on Iran, now in its fourth week, as Washington seeks to translate military pressure into a negotiated settlement that curbs Tehran’s nuclear programme and regional influence.

Trump postpones strikes on Iranian energy sites after ‘productive’ talks

President Trump announced on Monday that he had instructed the US military to postpone planned strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days, citing what he described as “very good and productive conversations” with Iranian representatives.

He claimed the threat of devastating attacks, which he said could cost Iran more than $10b had brought Tehran to the negotiating table. Any final deal, he stressed, must ensure Iran abandons its nuclear ambitions and ceases support for proxy conflicts across the region.

Iranian officials, however, have firmly denied that direct negotiations with the United States have taken place, describing Trump’s statements as an attempt to ease soaring global energy prices triggered by the conflict.

Oil prices eased and stock markets rallied on Monday as investors weighed the possibility of de-escalation.

Netanyahu vows to continue strikes, prioritises Israeli security

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who held talks with Mr Trump on Monday, said the US president believed battlefield gains could now be converted into a lasting agreement that protects Israel’s vital interests. Nevertheless, Mr Netanyahu made clear that Israeli operations against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon would not stop.

“We will protect our vital interests under any circumstances,” he stated, while noting Israel’s past experience with US-brokered ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon arrangements that have often been accused of repeated violations by all sides.

The developments have raised hopes of a possible breakthrough, with Pakistan reportedly emerging as a key mediator. Sources indicate that backchannel efforts could lead to a high-level US-Iran summit in Islamabad as early as this week, potentially involving US Vice President JD Vance or senior envoys alongside Iranian officials.

Trump has informally indicated a desire to see hostilities wind down by early April, though analysts caution that deep mistrust between the parties, particularly Israel’s insistence on safeguarding its security, makes any truce highly fragile.