President Trump Claims Iran Sent 20 Tanker Ships to the US

JAKARTA - President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Iran would send 20 oil tankers to the United States through the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday morning.

"And now, today, they are giving us, in honor - I don't know, I can't define it exactly, but they are giving us, I think as a sign of honor, 20 oil tankers - big ships - that will pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and it will last from tomorrow morning (today)," he told reporters on Air Force One on his way to Washington, DC, reported Anadolu (30/3).

"I'll just say that we're doing very well in those negotiations," Trump continued.

The Republican politician went on to say he was "quite confident" the US would reach an agreement with Iran, "but it might not happen."

"I see a deal in Iran," he said, adding that it "could happen soon," he concluded.

President Trump also said the US was negotiating with Iran both "directly and indirectly."

When asked if he was still considering deploying ground troops, President Trump said the US had "many alternatives."

"We're ahead of schedule with Iran. We're a few weeks ahead of schedule and we have a group, this is really a new regime. It's a new group of people - people we've never dealt with before, who act very reasonably," he said.

Previously, Iran on Wednesday last week rejected the 15-point plan from the US to end the war, saying a ceasefire would only take place with conditions and schedules determined by Tehran.

When asked if Iran had responded to his proposed 15-point plan, President Trump said "Yes, they gave us most of the points - why not?"

"Just to prove they are serious, they gave us all these ships," he added.

It is known that the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28, killing more than 1,340 people, including the late Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering tensions in the Middle East.

In response, the Mullah's State retaliated with drone strikes and missiles targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states hosting US military assets, causing casualties and infrastructure damage and disrupting global markets and flights, including tight control of the vital Strait of Hormuz through which 20 percent of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas pass.