Iran is considering US proposals to end the conflict after Donald Trump made an offer similar to a previous deal brokered by Barack Obama – which he ripped up. Mr Trump said the conflict could be over within a week after Tehran was sent a proposition that includes lifting sanctions if uranium enrichment is capped at 3.67 per cent.
Deal Terms Mirror Obama Agreement
It is exactly the same level that Mr Obama agreed in 2015 which Mr Trump repeatedly ridiculed as 'the worst deal ever'. The US President also halted Operation Freedom – his mission to free ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz – after just two days.
Iran has until tomorrow to respond and, if the deal is signed, both sides will allow free passage for ships through the waterway. A 30-day window would then open to negotiate the lifting of all US sanctions and limits to Iran's nuclear programme.
Trump's Social Media Ultimatum
Yesterday, Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social network: 'Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end and the highly effective blockade will allow the Strait of Hormuz to be open to all, including Iran.' But he added: 'If they don't agree, the bombing starts and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.'
Mediation and Reactions
A source from Pakistan, which has been mediating talks between Washington and Tehran, said an outline agreement was near completion. They said: 'We will close this very soon. We are getting close.' In an apparent sign of goodwill, Iran's IRGC Navy said safe passage through the strait would be possible after the end of 'threats from aggressors'.
But Ebrahim Rezaei, a spokesman for the country's parliamentary national security committee, described the one-page memorandum as 'more a list of American wishes than a reality' and threatened 'a harsh and regret-inducing response' if there were not 'necessary concessions'.
Deal Details and Comparisons
The deal calls for Iran to halt all uranium enrichment for 12 to 15 years with automatic extensions if Tehran violates the terms, Axios news website said. It also demands that the regime remove its highly enriched uranium stockpile from the country but does not specify how. Despite Mr Trump repeatedly ridiculing Mr Obama's 2015 deal and scrapping it in his first term of office, the new agreement appears to mirror it.
Journalist Andrew Neil posted on X: 'What we know of Trump's peace plan contains striking similarities to Obama's: sanctions lifted, frozen billions released and Iran capped at the same 3.67 per cent enrichment level agreed to by Obama. Even then, I'm not sure Tehran is minded to agree. The regime thinks it has Trump on the run. And it could well be right.'
Iran expert Danny Citrinowicz said: 'If this deal is actually signed, it would be a fitting end to a campaign that began as “Epic Fury” and is ending as “Epic Disaster.”' He warned that it would leave Iran 'stronger than before' as it maintains support for its proxies and becomes enriched by sanctions relief while retaining missile capabilities.
International Reactions
The proposal appears to have wrongfooted Israel, with a source telling Reuters that it had been preparing for an escalation in fighting and was unaware the two sides were close to an agreement. China seems to be playing a crucial role in helping to broker peace, with Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi arriving in Beijing yesterday for talks.
Last night, Mr Trump said there was a 'very good chance' the war would end before he travels to Beijing next week to meet president Xi Jinping. Mr Trump told reporters the US had very good talks with Iran in the last 24 hours, adding that it was very possible that Washington and Tehran would make a deal.
His comments came as Mr Trump and his wife Melania took part in a Military Mother's Day event at the White House to highlight the sacrifice and resilience of forces' families. Meanwhile, US forces said they had fired at an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, disabling the vessel. The US military said M/T Hasna had tried to violate a US blockade and sail to an Iranian port.
