Iran’s demands for U.S. war reparations, recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and an end to American sanctions were among the conditions that President Trump has deemed “unacceptable,” Iran’s state-owned broadcaster reported on Monday.
The terms were detailed in a social media post by Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting after Mr. Trump on Sunday dismissed an Iranian counterproposal as “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.” Mr. Trump did not specify his objections to the deal, which was passed via Pakistani mediators.
The first two conditions would almost certainly be non-starters for the United States, while the third would be possible only if Iran is willing to make major concessions on its nuclear program, which it has shown no sign of being willing to do.
The comments showed how far apart the United States and Iran remained after a week of strikes in the Persian Gulf rattled their month-old cease-fire. The deal was intended to provide an opening to negotiate a more comprehensive peace deal and end Iran’s de facto blockade of the strait, a vital waterway for oil and gas shipments.
Small-scale attacks have continued around the Strait of Hormuz. On Sunday, the United Arab Emirates said it had again been attacked by Iranian drones, after several Iranian strikes this past week. Last week, American warships fired on military facilities along Iran’s coast after coming under attack, and struck at two Iranian-flagged oil tankers attempting to enter an Iranian port, the U.S. military said.
Iran’s military warned early Sunday that countries helping to enforce U.S. sanctions against Tehran would face “difficulties” passing through the strait.
Here’s what else we’re covering:
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Oil prices: Oil prices rose and stock futures ticked down on Monday as investors reacted to Mr. Trump’s swift rejection of Iran’s response to a U.S. peace proposal.
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Enriched uranium: In an interview with the syndicated news show “Full Measure” aired on Sunday, Mr. Trump said that the U.S. was surveilling Iran’s remaining enriched uranium stockpile and would “get that at some point.” The president’s comments on the stockpiles have been inconsistent; last month, he said he didn’t care about the uranium because it was buried “so far underground.”
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Mixed messages: Last week, the White House sought to portray the military campaign against Iran as over. But in the “Full Measure” interview, Mr. Trump said it was inaccurate to say that combat operations were finished, adding that Iran was “defeated, but that doesn’t mean they are done.”
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China summit: Mr. Trump hoped to have the conflict resolved by the time he headed to Beijing this week to meet with President Xi Jinping of China, who is eager to see an end to the conflict in Iran, which is Beijing’s closest partner in the Middle East.
