United States President Donald Trump on Sunday rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at ending the conflict in West Asia, calling it “totally unacceptable”, amid a fragile ceasefire between the two sides.
Iran had earlier responded to Washington’s latest peace proposal and warned that it would retaliate against any new US strikes. Tehran had also said it would not allow additional foreign warships into the Strait of Hormuz, AFP reported.
The US blockade of Iranian ports remains in force to monitor maritime traffic linked to Iran amid stalled peace talks to end the conflict in West Asia. Ships travelling to or from non-Iranian ports are still being allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz under the blockade.
Tehran’s response, which was conveyed through Pakistani mediators, called for an end to the war “on all fronts, especially Lebanon”, where Israel has kept up its fight with the militant group Hezbollah, AFP quoted Iranian state broadcaster IRIB as reporting. The proposal also reportedly stressed on the need to guarantee “shipping security”.
The US proposal had reportedly sought to extend the ceasefire to allow for talks on ending the conflict and to address concerns about Iran’s contested nuclear programme.
On Sunday, however, Trump did not provide details of Tehran’s counterproposal. In a social media post, he said: “I have just read the response from Iran’s so-called ‘Representatives’. I don’t like it.”
Oil prices rose sharply following Trump’s remarks on Monday. The price of benchmark Brent crude climbed 2.6% to $104. The price of Brent was $78 per barrel on February 27, a day before the conflict started.
The war
The US and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran’s action posed an existential threat to Israel. Washington acts as a guarantor of Israel’s security. Iran retaliated by striking Israel and US military bases in the region, targeting major cities in Gulf countries and ships.
Tehran also effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterbody connecting the Gulf to the Arabian Sea, for most international commercial vessels, triggering a global energy crisis. About 20% of global petroleum supply passes through the maritime chokepoint.
The peace talks between Iran and the US that were held in Islamabad, Pakistan collapsed on April 12 but the ceasefire in the region has largely held.
Israel has been claiming that Iran is close to obtaining a nuclear weapon, which could alter the regional security balance. Tehran has long maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes.
Edited by Sara Varghese
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