A deal to end the Iran war hangs in the balance as Tehran reviews Washington’s demands. Chief among the requests is a moratorium on nuclear enrichment. The Islamic Republic appears to have already acted on the other key demand – opening the Strait of Hormuz.
Following President Donald Trump’s ultimatum to Iran, The Times of Israel reported that Jerusalem was surprised by Trump’s renewed push for peace, a claim the government later reversed. Regardless of coordination between the White House and the Jewish State, both governments are preparing escalation if the Islamic Republic rejects Washington’s terms.
“The Americans did not surprise us,” an Israeli official said Wednesday. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in continuous contact with President Donald Trump, and they hold conversations almost every day. There is direct communication between the Prime Minister’s staff and the president’s team.”
Earlier in the day the publication reported that “Israel was unaware that U.S. President Donald Trump was close to reaching an agreement with Iran to end the fighting and open the Strait of Hormuz, an Israeli official tells Army Radio.”
An Israeli escalation of the military conflict was being planned prior to Trump’s ultimatum to Tehran.
“We were preparing for an escalation,” the Israeli official said.
Importantly, Trump’s ultimatum included a clause for escalation – if no deal is reached.
“Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran. If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” the President said.
While Trump gave no details of the specific proposal, “A Pakistani source and another source briefed on the mediation confirmed information initially reported by the U.S. media outlet Axios about a proposed 14-point, one-page memorandum that would formally end the war,” Reuters reported.
Axios detailed Washington’s demands to Tehran:
- Among other provisions, the deal would involve Iran committing to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment, the U.S. agreeing to lift its sanctions and release billions in frozen Iranian funds, and both sides lifting restrictions around transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Many of the terms laid out in the memo would be contingent on a final agreement being reached, leaving the possibility of renewed war or an extended limbo in which the hot war has stopped but nothing is truly resolved.
“The central question is whether the U.S. has, implicitly, accepted Iran’s core demand: end the war and settle the Strait of Hormuz first, with the nuclear programme to follow,” Al Jazeera said.
The Islamic Republic announced they opened the strait on Wednesday, although Tehran is still reviewing the U.S. demands. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed U.S. demands for reopening the key waterway as “unrealistic.”
Despite the holdup, Pakistan, which has served as an intermediary between the U.S. and Iran believes a deal will likely soon be reached.
“We will close this very soon. We are getting close,” the source from Pakistan said.
The U.S./Israeli operation had a number of stated goals which centered around reducing Iran’s growing military prowess.
“On February 28, the United States Armed Forces launched Operation Epic Fury with a set of clear objectives: to ‘[d]estroy Iranian offensive missiles, destroy Iranian missile production, destroy [Iran’s] navy and other security infrastructure’ and, finally, ensure that Iran ‘will never have nuclear weapons’,” the State Department said April 21.
Most importantly, the State Department confirmed the U.S. went to war for Israel.
“…the United States decided to act against the regime in collective self-defense of Israel,” the State Department said April 21.
5 Responses
Why is Axios now a conduit for US war policy?
Look at Trump’s rhetoric:
“Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran.”
Nothing had been agreed to! Look how Trump cheerleads.
A real leader would sacrifice himself to stop Israel.
Iran is a sovereign nation and based on international law, they are entitled to enrich a small percentage of uranium for peaceful purposes. They will never agree to not enrich nor should they. This is a dumb! Iran has never started a war against a country for it’s resources. if Israel can have nukes, Iran should be able to enrich. This is a move by Trump to undermine Obama’s deal. Unfortunately, it has failed. Escalation would only cause more destruction to Israel and America’s gulf allies and Donald Trump’s investments.
This is how to say you’re brown without saying you’re brown.
Israel is praying there is no peace deal. Of course, Trump will make sure everything they offer is shot down (like he’s already been doing) because Israel has the files on him.
Nice conspiracy theory.