WASHINGTON, April 8 - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that negotiations over the Iran crisis will be conducted behind closed doors and that Washington finds acceptable "only one group of meaningful 'POINTS'" as the terms for moving forward, but he did not elaborate on the content of those talks.
In a social media post, the president wrote: "These are the POINTS that are the basis on which we agreed to a CEASEFIRE. It is something that is reasonable, and can easily be dispensed with." He did not provide further specifics about the composition of the delegation, the negotiating framework, or how those points were developed.
Separately, in an interview with ABC News, President Trump said he expects talks to begin on Friday and indicated he anticipates they will progress rapidly. The interview did not include additional details about timing, participants, or the procedural format that will be used during the discussions.
Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that delegations from the United States and Iran would arrive in Pakistan on Friday after the two countries accepted a two-week ceasefire. The prime minister's statement framed Pakistan as the host for the upcoming meetings, but it did not specify who would represent each side or the agenda to be pursued during the talks.
In his online post, President Trump also threatened a federal probe into unnamed individuals whom he accused - without providing evidence - of circulating various pieces of correspondence that, he asserted, were not the basis for the ceasefire agreement. The president did not identify the individuals, provide examples of the documents he was referring to, or offer proof to support his allegation.
Context and procedural notes
The public statements leave key aspects of the negotiation process unclear, including the exact content of the "POINTS" referenced by the president, the identities of the negotiators, and the mechanics of the planned talks. Pakistan's confirmation of arrivals on Friday sets a tentative timetable, but official schedules and details remain limited in the information released so far.
What is known
- The president said talks will be held behind closed doors.
- President Trump stated that "only one group of meaningful 'POINTS'" is acceptable to the United States.
- Pakistan's prime minister said U.S. and Iranian delegations would arrive in Pakistan on Friday after a two-week ceasefire was accepted by both nations.
- The president threatened a federal probe into unnamed individuals he accused - without providing evidence - of circulating correspondence unrelated to the ceasefire agreement.