U.S. President Donald Trump departs the White House in Washington, D.C., Friday. Reuters-Yonhap
ISLAMABAD — U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s latest proposal to end the war between the countries, saying Friday he still was not satisfied while blaming Iran’s “fractured” leadership.
Trump turned back the latest proposal almost as soon as it was delivered. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported that Iran handed over its plan to mediators in Pakistan on Thursday night.
“They want to make a deal, I’m not satisfied with it, so we’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters Friday at the White House, without elaborating on what he saw as its shortcomings.
The shaky three-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appears to still be holding though both countries have traded accusations of violations.
While the ceasefire has largely halted fighting in Iran, the U.S. and Iran are locked in a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz , through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas passes in peacetime. A U.S. Navy blockade stopping Iran’s tankers from getting out to sea has Iran’s economy reeling . The world economy is also under pressure as Iran maintains its chokehold on the strait.
Negotiations have continued by phone after Trump called off his envoys’ trip to Pakistan last week, the president said. Trump this week floated a new plan to reopen the critical passageway used by America’s Gulf allies to export their oil and gas.
On Friday, Trump expressed frustration with Iran’s leadership, describing it as fractured.
“It’s a very disjointed leadership,” Trump said. “They all want to make a deal, but they’re all messed up.”
Discussing a briefing he had Thursday with Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, the president said the U.S. has just two options in Iran.
Source: Korea Times News
