Donald Trump proposed the extraordinary thought of “joint leadership” of Iran following claims that profitable negotiations with Tehran have been underway.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Mr Trump recommended the US may run the nation alongside an unnamed Iranian chief.
Warming to his theme, the US president stated latest talks indicated there can be “very serious form of regime change” in Iran, including that the Strait of Hormuz could possibly be “jointly controlled”.
Asked by whom, Mr Trump stated: “Maybe me. Me and the ayatollah, whoever the ayatollah is, whoever the next ayatollah is.
“There’s automatically a regime change, but we’re dealing with some people that I find to be very reasonable, very solid,” he stated. “The people within know who they are. They’re very respected, and maybe one of them will be exactly what we’re looking for.”
Within hours, the speaker of the Iranian parliament denied claims Tehran had been negotiating with Washington and accused the US president of “fake news”.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated: “No negotiations have been held with the US, and fake news is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped.”
A spokesperson for Iran’s international ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, informed state media that they’d acquired messages from different international locations in latest days suggesting the US have been looking for discussions to finish the warfare.
The US president recommended they could discover a new Iranian chief just like Venezuela, the place vp Delcy Rodríguez took over from Nicolás Maduro following his elimination from the presidency in a US particular forces raid in January.
Earlier on Monday, Mr Trump claimed negotiations have been proving profitable and stated he had postposed airstrikes on Iranian vitality infrastructure for a five-day interval, having issued Iran a 48-hour ultimatum on Saturday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
In a Truth Social put up, Mr Trump stated: “Based on the tenor and tone of these in depth, detailed, and constructive conversations, witch [sic] will continue throughout the week, I have instructed the Department of War to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five day period, subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions.”
The Brent crude oil value dived to beneath $100 per barrel (£74.50) on Monday for the primary time since final Wednesday following his earlier assertion, though it later began ticking again up after Mr Ghalibaf’s denials.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/trump-ayatollah-joint-leadership-hormuz-b2944024.html