Donald Trump
Speaking at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Trump denied that he was seeking a deal to end the war. He insisted that it was Tehran that was seeking to come to the negotiating table.
“Negotiations are ongoing, and despite erroneous claims to the contrary by the fake media and others, they are going very well,” Donald Trump was quoted by Euronews as saying.
On Sunday, Trump gave Iran 48 hours to open a key waterway or the US will destroy the Islamic republic’s energy infrastructure.
Trump’s special envoy Steve Whitkoff told the Cabinet there were “strong indications” that Tehran was ready to negotiate a cessation of hostilities. He confirmed publicly for the first time that Washington had passed a 15-point “list” to Tehran through Pakistani officials.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Tasnim news agency said, “Iran’s response to the 15 points proposed by the US has been officially sent through mediators, Iran is awaiting the other side’s response.”
The Tasnim report, citing an unnamed official, said Tehran’s response called for an end to US and Israeli attacks on Iran as well as on groups it supports in other countries in the region, indirectly referring to Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Reparations for the war must be paid and Iran’s “sovereignty” over the Strait of Hormuz must be respected, the document also said. Tehran’s demands are much higher than those in the US proposal, the sources said.
