Trump tells CBS that US, Iran 'getting a lot closer' to agreement

President Donald Trump said Saturday the United States and Iran are "getting a lot closer" to a deal to end the war in the Middle East, while warning of devastating strikes if negotiations fail. Iran, the U.S., and mediator Pakistan all said Saturday that progress had been made in talks on ending almost three months of conflict.

What did Trump say about a US-Iran agreement?

In a phone interview with CBS News, Trump said negotiators from both sides were closing in on a deal.

He said he believes any final agreement will prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, adding that he "wouldn't even be talking about it" otherwise. In a separate interview with Axios, Trump put the odds of reaching a deal at "50/50," saying the alternative was a resumption of war.

He warned that if no agreement is reached, "we're going to have a situation where no country will ever be hit as hard as they're about to be hit."

What is the current state of US-Iran negotiations?

Iran, the U.S., and mediator Pakistan all reported progress in talks Saturday. The Jerusalem Post reported that the two sides are close to agreeing on a 60-day ceasefire extension as a step toward a broader settlement.

Pakistan has played a central role in bridging the two sides, with Islamabad's military chief traveling to Tehran as part of ongoing shuttle diplomacy. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 8, with no exchange of fire between the U.S. and Iran since April 7.