US president Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack against Iran to allow for negotiations to take place on a deal to end the US-Israeli war, after Iran sent a new peace proposal to Washington.
Trump said he had instructed the US military that “we will NOT be doing the scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow, but have further instructed them to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached.”
Trump, under pressure to reach an accord that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and limit the economic fallout of the war that he started in February, has previously expressed hope that a deal was close on ending the war, only for no agreement to materialise.
In his post, he said the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had requested that he hold off on the previously undisclosed attack because “a Deal will be made, which will be very acceptable to the United States of America, as well as all Countries in the Middle East, and beyond.”
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Trump’s post came after Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that Tehran’s views had been “conveyed to the American side through Pakistan” but gave no details.
A Pakistani source confirmed that Islamabad, which has conveyed messages between the sides in the war in the Middle East since hosting the only round of peace talks last month, had shared the latest proposal with Washington. But the source suggested progress had been difficult.
The sides “keep changing their goalposts”, the Pakistani source said, adding: “We don’t have much time.”
The Iranian proposal, as described by the senior Iranian source, appeared similar in many respects to Iran’s previous offer, which Trump rejected last week as “garbage”.
It would focus first on securing an end to the war, reopening the Strait of Hormuz – a major oil supply route that Iran has effectively blockaded – and lifting maritime sanctions. More contentious issues around Iran’s nuclear programme and uranium enrichment would be deferred to later rounds of talks, the source said.
However, in an apparent softening of Washington’s stance, the senior Iranian source said the US had agreed to release a quarter of Iran’s frozen funds – totalling tens of billions of dollars – held in foreign banks. Iran wants all the assets released.
The Iranian source also said Washington had showed more flexibility in allowing Iran to continue some peaceful nuclear activity under supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency separately quoted an unidentified source as saying the US had accepted waiving oil sanctions on Iran while negotiations were under way. Iranian officials did not immediately comment on Tasnim’s report.
A fragile ceasefire is in place after six weeks of war that followed US-Israeli air strikes on Iran. But talks mediated by Pakistan have stalled and Trump has said the ceasefire is “on life support”.
Washington has urged Tehran to dismantle its nuclear programme and lift an effective blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supply.
Iran has demanded compensation for war damage, an end to a US blockade of Iranian ports and a halt to fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon, where Israel is battling the Iran-backed Hizbullah militia.
[ Israeli attacks on Lebanon kill more than 3,000 since MarchOpens in new window ]
Trump said in a post on Truth Social at the weekend that “the Clock is Ticking” for Iran, adding that “they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!”
Trump is expected to meet top national security advisers on Tuesday to discuss options for resuming military action, Axios reported.
Issues holding up negotiations also include Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The US and other big powers want to ensure that Iran cannot develop nuclear weapons.
Tehran denies trying to do so, and also wants compensation for war damage, a guarantee that there will be no further attacks, and resumption of Iranian oil sales.
Baghaei said Tehran was prepared for all scenarios.
“As for their threats, rest assured that we are fully aware of how to respond appropriately to even the smallest mistake from the opposing side,” he told a televised weekly press conference.
Hostilities have been reduced since the ceasefire came into effect in April, but drones have been launched from Iran towards Gulf countries hosting US military bases.
One drone strike caused a fire at a nuclear power plant in the UAE, officials there said on Sunday and Saudi Arabia reported intercepting three drones.
Iran stepped up attacks on the UAE this month after Trump announced a naval mission to try to open the Strait of Hormuz, which he suspended after 48 hours. – Reuters
