Trump told aides Iran ceasefire to remain in force unless US troops killed – report

President Trump reportedly told aides the ceasefire with Iran will be permanent – unless American service members are killed.

By World Israel News Staff

President Donald Trump told his aides that he is prepared to tolerate limited exchanges of fire with Iran and keep a fragile ceasefire in place unless Tehran kills American troops, according to a report published Thursday, as negotiations over a broader agreement face a new dispute over compensation.

Trump told aides he would consider ending the ceasefire and resuming broader military action if Iran kills US service members, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.

The report said his position suggests the president may be willing to absorb smaller flare-ups in order to avoid a return to full-scale war.

The ceasefire has been repeatedly tested by violence in the Gulf, including recent US and Iranian strikes. But officials cited in the report said the truce remains intact for now.

Trump struck an optimistic tone in public remarks Wednesday, saying negotiations with Iran were progressing and that a deal could be reached soon.

“I hear the negotiations with Iran are going very well. If a deal happens with Iran it could be done over the weekend,” Trump told reporters.

Trump also said Iran was “close” to signing documents and repeated his claim that Tehran had already agreed not to obtain a nuclear weapon.

“They’ve already agreed they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon,” he said.

Asked about the ceasefire after recent Iranian attacks, Trump said, “There’s a reason for everything, and we hit them pretty hard,” while adding that “anything can happen when you are dealing with Iran.”

“In this part of the world, a ceasefire means people are shooting at each other a little less.”

CNN reported that Tehran wants frozen funds released in some form after an initial memorandum of understanding is signed, rather than waiting for later stages of a deal.

US officials are concerned that providing financial relief too early could weaken Washington’s leverage before Iran takes irreversible steps on its nuclear program.

The Trump administration is seeking an agreement that would include the transfer or removal of Iran’s enriched uranium and a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which has been disrupted during the war.

Iranian officials have offered conflicting signals on whether talks are continuing.

Trump has insisted that contacts remain active, while Iranian state-aligned media have said Tehran suspended indirect messages through intermediaries, citing alleged Israeli violations in Lebanon.

“Fake News Reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the U.S.A., stopped speaking a few days ago are false and erroneous,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today.”

“Where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal. You’ve been doing this for 47 years, and it cannot be allowed to go on any longer!’”