Iran revises US proposal for ceasefire deal as Trump issues new threats – National
Iran has said it is reviewing the latest US proposals on ending the war, as US President Donald Trump has threatened the country with bombing unless an agreement is reached that includes reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz to international shipping.
I hope that this two-month conflict may end soon in international markets on Thursday, as the US military shot down an Iranian oil tanker trying to break the American blockade of Iranian ports hours earlier. The development followed days of mixed messages from the Trump administration on its strategy to end the war.
Trump posted on social media that the two-month war could end soon and that oil and natural gas shipments disrupted by the conflict could resume. But he said that depends on Iran accepting the reported deal, which he did not elaborate on.
“If they don't agree, the bombing starts,” Trump wrote.
A fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran has been in place since April 8. But talks between the two countries hosted by Pakistan last month failed to reach an agreement. The war began on Feb. 28, when the US and Israel launched an attack against Iran.
Pakistan expects an agreement soon
“We expect an agreement soon,” said Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi on Thursday. “We hope that the parties will reach a peaceful and sustainable solution that will not only contribute to peace in our region but also to international peace.”
But he declined to give a timeline, saying Pakistan would not divulge details of ongoing diplomatic efforts.
“What I can tell you and what I've said before is that we remain hopeful, optimistic, and hopeful that the solution will be sooner rather than later,” he said.
Asked if Pakistan expected any response from Iran later on Thursday, Andrabi said: “I will not comment on the details or the delivery of the messages.”
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, speaking in a televised interview on Thursday, said Islamabad remains “in constant communication with Iran and the United States, day and night, to stop the war and extend the ceasefire.”
The Trump administration's messaging throughout the Iran war has been shifting and often contradictory. This week, the president and his aides presented a confusing story about the US plan to open the Strait of Hormuz and wrap up a war that turned upside down in a matter of hours.
Iran has effectively closed the strait, an important waterway for the export of oil, gas, fertilizer and other petroleum products, while the US blockades Iranian ports.
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On Wednesday, a US warplane shot down the rudder of an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman when it tried to breach the US blockade, the US Central Command said in a social media post.
Trump suggests the US could force a deal
Trump insisted Wednesday that Iranian officials want to end the war.
“We are working with people who want to make a deal more, and we will see if they can make a deal that is satisfactory to us,” said the president.
He suggested that the US could eventually enforce the agreement.
“If they don't agree, the bombing begins,” Trump said on social media, “and, sadly, it will be at a much higher level and intensity than before.”
The White House believes it is close to an agreement with Iran on a one-page ceasefire, according to a report by Axios. The provisions include halting Iranian uranium enrichment, lifting US sanctions, distributing frozen Iranian funds and opening a shipping lane.
The White House did not immediately respond to questions about a potential deal.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, told state TV that Tehran “vehemently rejected” the US proposals reported by Axios, but that it was still considering the latest US proposal.
The effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz has been suspended
Trump wants to increase pressure on Tehran after suspending on Tuesday a temporary US effort, called Project Freedom, to force a safe passage for commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Only two US-flagged merchant ships are known to have passed through the US-monitored route after it opened on Monday. The US Navy said it had sunk small Iranian boats that threatened civilian vessels.
Hundreds of merchant ships remain locked in the Persian Gulf, unable to access the open sea without passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The closure of the strait has sent fuel prices soaring, disrupted the global economy and put enormous economic pressure on countries, including superpowers like China.
Hapag-Lloyd, one of the world's largest shipping companies, said in a statement that road closures cost about $60 million a week, as rising fuel and insurance costs hit hard.
On Thursday, the price of Brent crude oil settled around $100 a barrel as investors waited to see if the strait would reopen.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that a French aircraft carrier group is entering the Red Sea in preparation for a possible French-British operation to restore maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz as soon as conditions allow.
China's foreign minister called for a complete ceasefire on Wednesday after meeting in Beijing with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Wang Yi said his country was “deeply distressed” by the conflict.
China's close economic and political ties to Tehran give it a unique position of influence. The Trump administration is pressing China to use that relationship to encourage the Islamic Republic to open the floodgates.
Iranian ambassador visits China
Araghchi's visit to China came ahead of a planned trip to Beijing by Trump, who is scheduled to attend a high-level summit on May 14-15 with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump was the last US president to visit China in 2017.
Araghchi told Iranian state TV that his visit included discussions about the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's nuclear program and sanctions imposed on Tehran.
Trump has demanded major rollbacks of Tehran's controversial nuclear program.
