Donald Trump said on Saturday that he had been briefed on the concept of a potential deal with Iran, but was awaiting the exact wording, while warning that the United States could still restart strikes if Tehran \u201cmisbehaves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A senior Iranian official said on Saturday that a proposal from Tehran \u2014 so far rejected by Trump \u2014 would reopen shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and end the U.S. blockade of Iran, while postponing talks on Iran\u2019s nuclear programme to a later stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When asked about the proposal before boarding a flight to Miami from West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said: \u201cThey told me about the concept of the deal. They\u2019re going to give me the exact wording now.\u201d He added on social media that he could not imagine the proposals would be acceptable and that Iran had not paid a sufficient price for its actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Responding to a question on whether he might restart strikes, Trump said: \u201cI don\u2019t want to say that. I mean, I can\u2019t tell that to a reporter. If they misbehave, if they do something bad, right now we\u2019ll see. But it\u2019s a possibility that could happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump has repeatedly stated that Iran can never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon and said on Friday he was dissatisfied with the latest proposal. Meanwhile, Iran\u2019s foreign minister said Tehran remained ready for diplomacy if Washington changed its approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reuters and other news organisations reported over the past week that Tehran was proposing to reopen the strait before resolving nuclear issues. The senior official confirmed that this timeline had now been formally outlined in a proposal conveyed to the United States through mediators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump also said on Friday that, \u201con a human basis,\u201d he did not favour a military course of action. He told congressional leaders he did not require their permission to extend the war beyond a legal deadline, arguing that the ceasefire had \u201cterminated\u201d hostilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite saying he is in no hurry, Trump faces domestic pressure to break Iran\u2019s control over the strait, which has disrupted about 20 per cent of global oil and gas supplies and driven up U.S. gasoline prices. His Republican Party risks voter backlash over rising prices ahead of midterm congressional elections in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iranian media reported that Tehran\u2019s 14-point proposal included the withdrawal of U.S. forces from areas surrounding Iran, lifting the blockade, releasing frozen Iranian assets, payment of compensation, removal of sanctions, and ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon. It also proposed a new control mechanism for the strait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The United States and Israel suspended their bombing campaign against Iran four weeks ago, but remain far from reaching a deal to end a conflict that has severely disrupted global energy supplies, unsettled markets, and raised concerns about a broader economic downturn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iran has been blocking nearly all shipping from the Gulf, except its own, for more than two months, while the United States last month imposed its own blockade on vessels linked to Iranian ports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Washington has repeatedly said it will not end the war \u2014 which has caused thousands of deaths \u2014 without an agreement preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, the main objective Trump cited when launching strikes in February during ongoing nuclear talks. Iran, however, maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks, the senior Iranian official said Tehran viewed its latest proposal \u2014 delaying nuclear negotiations \u2014 as a significant shift aimed at facilitating an agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under the proposal, the war would end with guarantees that the United States and Israel would not carry out further attacks. Iran would reopen the strait, and Washington would lift its blockade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Future negotiations would then address limits on Iran\u2019s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief, with Tehran insisting that Washington recognise its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, even if it agrees to suspend its nuclear activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUnder this framework, negotiations over the more complicated nuclear issue have been moved to the final stage to create a more conducive atmosphere,\u201d the official said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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