️ US President Donald Trump has warned Iran that the 'clock is ticking' as talks to end the war have stalled, threatening that the country must 'get moving, FAST, or there won't be anything left of them.'
️ Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared 'TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!' The message came ahead of a scheduled call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday.
️ Iranian media reported that the US had failed to make any concrete concessions in response to Tehran's latest proposals to end the conflict, with the semi-official Mehr news agency warning that a lack of compromise from Washington would lead to an 'impasse in the negotiations.'
️ Trump's threat echoed his earlier warning that a 'whole civilisation' would die unless Iran agreed to a deal, shortly before a ceasefire was announced in early April. Earlier this week, he said the truce was on 'massive life support' after rejecting Tehran's demands as 'totally unacceptable.'
️ Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei defended the proposals as 'responsible' and 'generous.' According to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, they included an immediate end to the war on all fronts, a halt to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, and guarantees of no further attacks on Iran.
️ The proposals also reportedly demanded compensation for war damage and emphasized Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. In response, the semi-official Fars news agency said Washington set five conditions, including that Iran keep only one nuclear site operational and transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to the US.
️ On Friday, Trump suggested he would accept a 20-year suspension of Iran's nuclear program, signaling a shift from demanding its total elimination.
️ The US and Israel launched massive airstrikes on Iran on February 28. The subsequent ceasefire has largely held despite occasional exchanges of fire. Iran continues to control the Strait of Hormuz, effectively closing the waterway through which about 20% of global oil and LNG flows, sending oil prices soaring.
️ The US has enforced a blockade of Iranian ports to pressure Tehran. Pakistan has been mediating between the two sides, but they remain far apart.
Source: www.bbc.com