Washington, United States. President Donald Trump is unhappy with Iran’s latest proposal to resolve the two-month war, a U.S. official said, dampening hopes for a resolution to a conflict that has disrupted energy supplies, fuelled inflation, and killed thousands.
Iran proposal and U.S. position
Iran’s latest proposal would set aside discussion of Iran’s nuclear program until the war is ended and disputes over shipping from the Gulf are resolved.
That is unlikely to satisfy the United States, which says nuclear issues must be dealt with from the outset, and Trump was unhappy with Iran’s proposal for that reason, a U.S. official briefed on the president’s Monday meeting with his advisers said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
White House response
White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said the United States “will not negotiate through the press” and has “been clear about our red lines” as the Trump administration looks to end the war against Iran it began in February alongside Israel.
Background on the 2015 nuclear agreement
A previous agreement in 2015 between Iran and multiple other countries including the United States sharply curtailed Iran’s nuclear program, which Iran has long maintained is for peaceful, civilian purposes.
That deal fell apart when Trump unilaterally withdrew from it in his first term in office.
Diplomatic efforts and travel changes
Hopes of reviving peace efforts have receded since the U.S. president scrapped a visit planned for last weekend by his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi shuttled in and out twice during the weekend.
Araqchi also visited Oman and on Monday went to Russia, where he met President Vladimir Putin and received words of support from a longstanding ally.
Oil prices and shipping constraints
With the warring sides still seemingly far apart, oil prices resumed their upward march, extending gains in early Asia trade on Tuesday.
“For oil traders, it’s not the rhetoric that matters any more, but the actual physical flow of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz, and right now, that flow remains constrained,” Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst at City Index and FOREX.com, said in a note.
At least six tankers loaded with Iranian oil have been forced back to Iran by the U.S. blockade in recent days, ship-tracking data showed, underscoring the war’s impact on traffic.
What do you think is the most significant obstacle to reaching an agreement to end the war?
