US President Donald Trump has declared that the ceasefire with Iran is on 'life support' after dismissing Tehran's counter-proposals as 'garbage'. He is now considering restarting naval escorts in the Strait of Hormuz to counter the Iranian blockade of the vital waterway.
Speaking about 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.'
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, which Trump rejected outright. The president also denied being under any domestic pressure to reach a deal.
Trump called off Project Freedom, the plan to escort oil tankers through the Strait, after just two days last week to give Iran time to respond. The plan had also met resistance from Saudi Arabia, which refused to allow its airspace or bases to be used for what it regarded as escalatory action.
Oil prices jumped again after Iran said there would be no further talks unless Trump accepted its terms. Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, stated: 'As long as the war on all fronts is not over, sanctions are not lifted, blocked funds are not released, war damages are not compensated and Iran's sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz not recognised, there will be no other negotiations.'
The impasse will cast a shadow over Trump's summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which starts in Beijing on Thursday. China has deep economic ties to Iran, and Xi is unlikely to agree to any request from Trump to restrict oil purchases or arms sales between Beijing and Tehran.
