US President Donald Trump has declared that the ceasefire with Iran is on 'massive life support' and that he is considering restarting naval escorts in the Strait of Hormuz to counter the Iranian blockade. Trump dismissed Iran's counter-proposals as 'stupid' and denied any domestic pressure to reach a deal.
Referring to the ceasefire in place 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 that Trump rejected outright. Trump had called off Project Freedom, the plan to escort oil tankers through the strait, after just two days to give Iran time to respond, but the plan also faced resistance from Saudi Arabia.
Oil prices jumped again after Iran said there would be no further talks unless Trump accepted its terms. Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari 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 casts a shadow over Trump's summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, as China has deep economic ties with Iran. Meanwhile, the International Maritime Organization estimates that nearly 1,500 tankers and 20,000 seafarers are stranded in the Gulf, with supplies of water, food and fuel running short.
