Trump: Deal to end war ‘could be soon,’ Iran agreed to let 20 more boats through Hormuz

US President Donald Trump says a deal to end the war with Iran could come “soon,” but warns that “they’re not going to have a country” unless Tehran agrees to a US proposal to stop the fighting.

He says that Iran agreed to allow another 20 boats of oil to pass through the Strait of Hormuz as a “sign of respect” and a further demonstration of its willingness to negotiate an agreement.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump says those “big boats” will begin passing through Hormuz on Monday and days that follow.

Pakistani deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar, whose country is one of the main mediators between the US and Iran, first revealed the gesture from the Islamic Republic, ostensibly aimed at preventing the further rise of oil prices during the war, in a Saturday social media post.

Trump claimed last week that Iran allowed eight Pakistani-flagged boats to travel through Hormuz, along with two others, in what he described as a “present” also aimed at demonstrating Iran’s willingness to negotiate with the US. Those figures have not been verified by public reporting or vessel-tracking data.

Over the course of the 20-minute gaggle, Trump offers varying levels of optimism regarding the chances for a deal with Iran.

“We’re doing extremely well in that negotiation. But you never know with Iran, because we negotiate with them and then we always have to blow them up,” he says.

“I think we’ll make a deal with them, but it’s possible that we won’t,” Trump continues. “I do see a deal in Iran. It could be soon.”

His largely upbeat comments come ahead of the stock market re-opening on Monday morning.

Trump goes on to claim, without proof, that Iran has agreed to most of the US demands in Washington’s 15-point proposal for a deal to end the war.

Iran has yet to formally respond to the offer, though, even though US negotiators were hoping it would have done so by Friday.

“They’re going to give up nuclear weapons. They’re going to give us the nuclear dust,” Trump says, referring to Iran’s stockpiles of highly-enriched uranium.

“They’re going to do everything that we want to do, [and] they’re going to go on and maybe have a great country again. But if they don’t do that, they’re not going to have a country,” he threatens.