President Trump vows to maintain US troop presence in the region until a genuine deal is struck with Iran

US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that American forces stationed near Iran will remain in the region until a "real agreement" is reached, as a two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran commences.

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This fragile truce, established on Tuesday, is already showing signs of strain, with Israel launching airstrikes on Lebanon and the US contradicting some of Iran's demands to end the conflict ahead of planned talks.

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Trump stated on his Truth Social platform that all US military personnel, ships, and aircraft, along with additional ammunition and weaponry, will stay in place around Iran until the "REAL AGREEMENT" is fully implemented.

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Although Trump deemed a failed deal "highly unlikely", he warned that the US would revert to more intense and powerful strikes if an agreement is not reached.

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Trump also wrote that the US military is preparing for its next move, saying "our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest" and proclaimed "AMERICA IS BACK!".

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As part of the two-week truce, Iran has agreed to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz, but has asserted that it will maintain "dominion" over the waterway.

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The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial passage through which one-fifth of the world's oil passes during peacetime.

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In a Farsi-language statement released through Iranian state media, the Islamic republic has demanded that Washington accept its uranium enrichment programme.

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This demand was not included in the version of Iran's demands released via the UN, and Trump has said that the issue of enrichment will be "taken care of" in any deal.

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Ahead of planned negotiations in Pakistan, Trump has stated that Iran will have "no nuclear weapons" and that the "Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE".