US President Donald Trump has said he would accept a 20-year suspension by Iran of its nuclear programme, in what appears to be a confirmation of a shift in position from a demand for a total end to it.
Trump stated that it had to be a real 20 years. Previously, he has called on Iran to permanently cease enriching uranium - a stage in making a weapon - and to be prevented from ever acquiring nuclear weapons.
He also mentioned his patience with Iran is running out, with no sign of a breakthrough in talks.
Israeli and US forces began massive air strikes on Iran on 28 February. A ceasefire, meant to facilitate negotiations, has been largely observed despite some exchanges of fire.
Pakistan has been playing the role of mediator, yet both sides seem far apart, having rejected each other's recent proposals to end the war. Iranian media reported Tehran's proposal included an immediate end to all fronts of the war and guarantees of no further attacks on Iran.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump remarked that both sides agreed Tehran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon and must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which it currently blocks, affecting global oil prices.
When asked about a 20-year suspension not being sufficient, Trump replied, Twenty years is enough, but the level of guarantee from them, in other words, it's got to be a real 20 years. He did not elaborate further.
This is thought to be the first time Trump himself has mentioned a 20-year timeframe, although US media reported earlier that Vice-President JD Vance had responded to an Iranian proposal for a five-year cease by insisting on a minimum of 20 years.
In his first term as president, Trump withdrew from a 2015 nuclear agreement made by the Obama administration, which included sunset clauses allowing restrictions on Iran to expire over time.
Currently, Israel has not reacted to Trump's latest remarks; however, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously insisted that Iran's enriched uranium supply must be taken out before any resolution in the war can be considered.
