US President Donald Trump has said the ceasefire with Iran is on “life support” after dismissing Tehran’s counter-proposals as “stupid”. He warned he is considering restarting US navy military escorts of ships through the Strait of Hormuz to end the Iranian blockade of the vital waterway.
Last week, the US sent Iran a set of conditions for easing the conflict, mostly related to preventing Tehran from expanding its nuclear programme. Iran responded with counter-proposals that Trump rejected out of hand. Referring to the ceasefire in force since 7 April, Trump said: “I would call it the weakest, right now, after reading that piece of garbage they sent us – I didn’t even finish reading it. I would say the ceasefire is on massive life support, where the doctor walks in and says: ‘Sir, your loved one has approximately a 1% chance of living.’”
Iran’s demands, as outlined by Maj Gen Mohammad Ali Jafari, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, include: an end to the war on all fronts, lifting of sanctions, release of blocked funds, compensation for war damages, and recognition of Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Jafari stated: “As long as these conditions are not met, there will be no other negotiations.”
Iranian officials defended their proposals as “reasonable, responsible and generous”. Mostafa Taheri, a member of the Iranian parliament’s industry commission, claimed that revenue from proposed new transit fees for the Strait of Hormuz could reach $15bn annually, enough to stabilise foreign exchange reserves. Oil prices rose above $105 a barrel as the deadlock continued.
The impasse casts a shadow over Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which starts in Beijing on Thursday. China has deep economic ties to Iran, making it unlikely to agree to restrict oil purchases or arms sales. Meanwhile, the International Maritime Organization estimates that almost 1,500 tankers and 20,000 seafarers are stranded in the Gulf, with supplies of water, food and fuel soon running short.
