The American president, Donald Trumpis not satisfied, according to American sources, with the latest proposal made by Iran to end the war in Middle Eastwhich started just two months ago, on February 28when Israel managed to assassinate by surprise the then Iranian supreme leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
This peace plan, presented on Saturday during the visit of the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchia Pakistanforesees three phases. First, sign a definitive end of hostilities and then, in the second instance, guarantee the lifting of the blockade imposed by both countries in the Strait of Hormuzwhere the 20% of total world crude and gas trade. Only after all this would Iran and the US enter into negotiations on the iranian nuclear program and the future of 440 kilos of highly enriched uranium who owns the Islamic Republic. Washington claims that Tehran deliver this material, already at a level very close to that necessary to develop the atomic bomb. According to the estimates of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)Iran has enough uranium to make 10 bombs.
“We will not negotiate through the press. We have been very clear from the beginning about what the our red lines“said the spokeswoman for the White House, Olivia Wales. These red lines have been constantly drawn by Trump: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, nor can it enrich at levels close to those necessary to make it. The Persian country, in the last year, managed to develop uranium at a 60% purity. For nuclear energy for civil use, barely a 3%.
Negotiations stalled
Since the weekend, when Trump canceled the trip of his chief negotiator, Steven Witkoffand his son-in-law, Jared Kushnera Islamabadnegotiations have entered a limbo phase in which it is unclear whether there will be another round of face-to-face talks.
Pakistan, however, claims that the exchange of messages between Washington and Tehran continues, although the outlook is sour. The war, two months after its start, has been suspended, with no bombings or attacks but no solution in sight.
Hormuz remains closed—despite the health of the world economy—, and the US and Iran maintain their enormous distances, especially in the future status of the strait, shared by Tehran with Omanand the nuclear program. The Islamic Republic claims that its enriched uranium is its “national heritage”and that enrichment is its “sovereign right”. Still, neither Trump nor the Iranian leadership has shown much appetite in recent days to return to hostilities.
“Trump requested negotiations because the US did not achieve any of its objectives during the war. We are studying the request,” Araghchi said Monday from Saint Petersburgwhere he met the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.
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