US President Donald Trump has stated he is “not satisfied” with Iran’s latest peace proposal to end the war that has killed thousands and triggered a global energy crisis. Speaking to the media on Friday, he expressed uncertainty about reaching a deal with Tehran, warning he would “blast them away” if negotiations fail.
“They want to make a deal, I’m not satisfied with it, so we’ll see what happens,” Trump said as a ceasefire in the conflict continued for a third week. The president added he would prefer an agreement preventing a return to war but threatened that resuming hostilities might be necessary.
“They’re asking for things I can’t agree to,” Trump said, without disclosing the proposal’s contents. A Pakistani official confirmed that Tehran’s latest peace proposal had been forwarded to the United States.
Negotiations to end the war have been stalled for weeks. Talks in Islamabad, which began on April 11 and lasted over 21 hours, failed to produce even a basic framework for further discussions.
A ceasefire has been in place since April 8, freezing hostilities that began on February 28 after the US-Israeli attack on Iran. The pause has temporarily eased fears of a deepening conflict that could have catastrophic consequences for the region and beyond.
The international community remains eager for a deal that would end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments usually flow.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is open to diplomacy if Washington alters its “threatening rhetoric” and “expansionist approach.” Iran has repeatedly warned it is prepared for war to resume, threatening to strike US interests and energy infrastructure.
Sultan Barakat, senior professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar, said both Iran and the US are eager to end the conflict but in a way that does not make them appear weak. “Both sides are really desperate to bring an end to this war in a way that allows them to save face,” he said.
Trump imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports on April 13 to pressure Tehran into returning to negotiations and accepting Washington’s terms. Barakat noted that Iran’s decision not to attack US warships involved in the blockade underscores its desire for a deal. “They didn’t try to force their way across that blockade,” but instead sought “alternative routes through Pakistan and elsewhere.”
Trump has repeatedly said any deal with Iran must guarantee it will not pursue a nuclear weapon. Tehran denies plans to weaponize its nuclear program, insisting it is solely for civilian purposes.
Source: www.aljazeera.com