Trump sets eyes on peace with Iran after declaring 'new dawn' in West Asia

After the successful hostage-prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas under the Gaza ceasefire deal, US President Donald Trump has declared the heralding of a “historic new dawn in the Middle East,” with his eyes set on bringing peace between Iran and Israel now.

During his address at the Israeli Knesset on Monday, delivered just hours after the final Israeli hostages were freed from Gaza, Trump said that the United States is prepared to make a deal with Iran when Tehran is ready.

Trump celebrated what he called the “historic dawn of a new Middle East” and declared an end to the “long and painful nightmare” of the Gaza war.

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“This is not only the end of war – this is the end of an age of terror and death. Israel, with our help, has won all that it can by force of arms. Now it’s time to translate those victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East,” Trump said.

What’s the deal with Iran?

Tehran and Washington held five rounds of nuclear talks, prior to a 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June, which Washington joined by striking key Iranian nuclear sites.

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The talks faced major stumbling blocks such as the issue of uranium enrichment on Iranian soil, which Western powers want to bring down to zero to minimise any risk of weaponisation, a plan that Tehran has rejected.

“We are ready when you are and it will be the best decision that Iran has ever made, and it’s going to happen,” Trump said, referring to a deal with Iran.

“The hand of friendship and cooperation is open. I’m telling you, they (Iran) want to make a deal… it would be great if we could make a deal,” Trump told the Israeli Knesset.

On Saturday, Iran’s foreign minister welcomed a potential “fair and balanced” U.S. proposal on its nuclear programme, but said Tehran has not received any starting points for negotiation.

“If we receive a reasonable, balanced, and fair proposal from the Americans for negotiations, we will certainly consider it,” Abbas Araqchi told state television on Saturday, adding that Tehran and Washington had been exchanging messages through mediators.

Trump signs Gaza deal

Trump, joined by regional leaders, signed a Gaza peace agreement during a high-profile summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday, describing the event as a “very important signing.”

Trump, who led the summit alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and others, appeared visibly pleased with the outcome, crediting his team for achieving what he described as one of the most difficult diplomatic breakthroughs.

“I thought this was probably going to be the toughest, and maybe in many ways it was, but we had a lot of big talent,” CNN quoted Trump as saying during the ceremony.