President Donald Trump’s Iran standoff risks dragging on after he rejected Tehran’s latest proposal to restart negotiations. Consequently, there is no clear path to end the conflict.
Iran submitted a revised proposal through Pakistani mediators, IRNA reported. However, Trump told reporters Friday he was “not satisfied” with the offer.
The conflict has been suspended under an April 8 ceasefire. Yet talks remain deadlocked over whether Iran’s nuclear programme should be addressed before any broader settlement.
Tehran proposed suspending nuclear talks until the war is formally ended and a deal is reached to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. In contrast, Trump has demanded that the nuclear issue be dealt with at the outset.
The impasse has kept pressure on global energy markets after Iran restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. This route previously carried about one-fifth of the world’s oil.
White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said Iran’s position was weakening under military and economic pressure. She also said that Trump had time to seek the best deal. In addition, Trump has privately raised the possibility of a prolonged naval blockade of Iran, a White House official said on condition of anonymity.
Axios reported that U.S. Central Command had prepared options for renewed strikes and for taking over part of the strait to reopen shipping.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress the conflict had not become a “quagmire,” despite Trump’s earlier expectation. Previously, Trump thought it would end in four to six weeks.
Read: Iran Executions Carried Out Over Israel Spying Claims
A Reuters/Ipsos poll put Trump’s approval rating at 34%. Meanwhile, gasoline prices rose above $4 a gallon ahead of November’s midterm congressional elections.
