Imminent talks between the US and Iran are likely to fail, says US President Donald Trump’s former security adviser, John Bolton, who also believes the Strait of Hormuz may be closed for another week or two.
“Even if there is a meeting, I don’t see the two sides getting closer together. So I think the burden is rapidly coming back on Trump’s shoulders,” Bolton said on Sunrise.
“His threat – which he has extended once – to bomb energy infrastructure in Iran comes back alive again Saturday night Washington time. We’ll have to see what he does. Does he give them another extension, or does he start carrying through on the threat?”
Former US national security adviser John Bolton.AP
Iranian leaders may have changed, but their ideology remains the same, he said, and doubted Trump’s assertions that Iran is ready to make a deal.
Bolton, once Trump’s adviser and now an ardent critic, said the president had to clear the Strait of Hormuz to claim victory.
“I hear from our military’s perspective, they think they’re making good progress doing what they need to do to be able to make it safe to go through the Gulf and transit the Strait of Hormuz,” he said, adding that he didn’t expect tankers to start crossing the waterway for another week or two.