Iran sent its latest proposal in negotiations to end the war with the United States, Iran’s state news agency reported on Friday, but hours later in Washington President Trump said, “They want to make a deal, but I’m not satisfied with it.”
The Islamic Republic News Agency gave no details on the content of the proposal but said that it was sent to Pakistani mediators on Thursday evening. Mr. Trump did not address the substance of the latest proposal or make clear what his objections were. He made almost identical comments when talking about an earlier proposal.
Before the latest move by Iran, it had proposed the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the end of the U.S. blockade and the postponement of negotiations over the country’s nuclear program, according to three Iranian officials.
Mr. Trump was dissatisfied with that, because he wanted to address the nuclear program. Outside the White House on Friday, he said “the blockade has been unbelievable, powerful, 100 percent.” He also added, “We’re negotiating with them — their teams are unbelievably disjointed, but we are negotiating.”
Mr. Trump has repeatedly insisted that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons, while Iran has rejected American proposals to suspend its nuclear program and hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Since shortly after the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began on Feb. 28, Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, which is normally used to transport as much as one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. Since a cease-fire began last month, the United States has blocked shipping to and from Iran through the strait.
Energy prices have spiked. Oil prices hit a wartime peak on Thursday before pulling back. After reports of the new Iranian proposal on Friday, prices dropped slightly.
Also on Friday, Iranian state television reported that the foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, had spoken by phone with his counterparts in Turkey, Egypt, Qatar and other countries in the region to brief them on Iran’s latest stance on ending the war.
Zolan Kanno-Youngs contributed reporting.
Source:
www.nytimes.com
