Trump says unsatisfied with Iran's new proposal, questions Iran's ability to reach agreement

CNN reported on May 1 that sources familiar with the negotiation process revealed Iran has submitted its latest peace proposal to Pakistan as a mediator, but it remains unclear whether U.S. President Trump will accept it.

A source confirmed to American news website Axios that this is Iran’s response to the most recent revised version of the U.S. ceasefire draft.

Subsequently, U.S. President Trump responded on Friday, May 1, stating he was dissatisfied with Iran’s proposal and questioning Iran’s capability to reach any agreement.

Speaking on the South Lawn of the White House, Trump told reporters: "They want to reach an agreement. But I’m not satisfied with their proposal. Let’s see what happens. Iran wants an agreement because, basically, they have no army left."

When asked about the flaws he sees in Iran’s latest proposal, Trump said, "They’re asking for things I cannot agree to."

Trump did not specify which aspects of Iran’s latest proposal he found unacceptable. He only noted that U.S.-Iran negotiations are still ongoing via phone calls after he canceled the U.S. envoy’s trip to Pakistan last week.

Trump refrained from elaborating on the content of Iran’s new proposal, instead shifting focus: "They’ve made some progress, but I’m not sure they’ll ultimately reach an agreement." He cited "huge divisions" among Iranian leaders, saying they "get along very poorly with each other." "It’s composed of two or three factions—maybe four—essentially a highly fragmented leadership. Despite this, they all want an agreement, but they’re all in chaos."

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly also responded to the news of Iran submitting a new proposal on Friday. She told Fox Digital News: "President Trump has clearly stated that Iran must never possess nuclear weapons. Negotiations continue to ensure both short- and long-term U.S. national security." "We won’t disclose details of private diplomatic conversations."

Iran’s official news agency, IRNA, also reported on Friday that Iran delivered the latest text of its negotiation proposal to Pakistan on Thursday evening, though it provided no further details about the new proposal.

U.S. military proposes new strike options

The day before, April 30, Fox News reported that U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Brad Cooper briefed President Trump on potential options for launching a "final strike" against Iran.

Cooper presented these potential options during a briefing in the White House Situation Room, outlining a possible "short and intense wave of strikes" should Trump decide to resume military operations. The targeted assets identified by U.S. military assessments include Iran’s "remaining military assets, leadership, and infrastructure."

According to Fox News, the Pentagon is evaluating the deployment of various advanced weapon systems, including the newly developed hypersonic missile known as the "Dark Eagle."

Iran threatens prolonged and painful retaliation

Iran immediately countered, warning that if the U.S. launches another attack and reasserts control over the Strait of Hormuz, it will launch a "long and painful retaliatory strike" against U.S. bases, making the U.S. plan to rebuild a coalition to reopen this vital waterway even more complicated.

According to Iranian media reports, Majid Mousavi, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force, said: "We’ve already seen the fate of your regional bases—you’ll face the same outcome with your warships."

Earlier this week, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, in a written message to the nation, stated that Tehran would eliminate "abuses by enemies in this strait" following its new management of the waterway, signaling Iran’s intent to maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that if closure of the strait causes disruptions lasting through mid-year, global economic growth would decline, inflation would rise, and tens of millions of people could fall into poverty and extreme hunger.

Source: rfi

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1864026826924044/

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