United States President Donald Trump said he had not been informed of Iran's suspension of talks with Washington, but stressed that there had been "a lot of communication" between the two sides and that a period of calm would be beneficial. In an interview with NBC News, Trump said the United States was willing to wait for developments, adding that Iran was missing out on a significant economic opportunity.
"To tell you the truth, I think we talk too much. It would be nice to have a little silence and that could go on for a while. That doesn't mean we're going to start dropping bombs everywhere. We'd just calm down. I think they can wait as long as they want. They're losing a fortune," Trump said.
Earlier, the Iranian Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran had suspended indirect negotiations with the US, following the escalation of the situation in the region and Israeli military operations in Lebanon, which it said had affected the diplomatic process.
Trump also added that the Iranians are good negotiators, but stressed that he had not received official information about the suspension of talks. Meanwhile, tensions in the region continue to affect international markets. Oil prices have increased significantly, while European stock markets have closed the session in decline. The Euro Stoxx 50 index fell by 0.64%, while decreases were recorded in Paris (-0.79%), Frankfurt (-0.80%), Milan (-0.81%) and London (-0.87%).
In energy markets, Brent rose 6.60% to $97.13 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate rose 7.62% to $94.02 a barrel. In military developments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered strikes on the southern outskirts of Beirut, targeting areas that Israel considers Hezbollah bases, as part of expanded operations in southern Lebanon.
For its part, the European Commission has called for a halt to the military escalation in Lebanon and respect for the country's sovereignty, stressing the need to continue diplomatic efforts. Meanwhile, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that US forces have intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles in Kuwait that were suspected of targeting US troops. According to the official statement, no injuries were reported and US forces remain on standby to protect their personnel.
