Trump puts the magnifying glass on Iran’s new offer
US President Donald Trump confirmed on Saturday that he is reviewing a new proposal from Iran to end the conflict. But, as expected, he did not swallow the whole story. “I’ll tell you about it later,” he said before boarding Air Force One in Florida. “Now they are going to give me the exact wording.”
Hours later, Trump unleashed a barb online: “I can’t imagine that’s acceptable, since they still haven’t paid a high enough price for what they’ve done to humanity and the world over the last 47 years.” Translation: skepticism is still your best friend.
What does the Iranian counteroffer bring?
According to semi-official media such as Tasnim and Fars, Tehran sent a 14-point proposal through Pakistan, in response to a nine-point US plan. Iranian state media has not said a word. Pakistan, meanwhile, is once again the trusted messenger in these diplomatic dances.
Trump had already rejected an earlier Iranian offer this week, but the talks have not completely broken down. The three-week ceasefire, although fragile, remains in place. The million-dollar question: is this real progress or just a respite before another storm?
The Strait of Hormuz in the crosshairs
The president also pulled out an ace up his sleeve: a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, that narrow waterway through which almost a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas passes. Controlling that point is like having the key to the global shower—if you turn it off, the entire world runs out of hot water.
“I can’t imagine it’s acceptable, since they haven’t paid a high enough price yet”
—Donald Trump
Here the pattern is clear: Iran always plays to prolong the negotiations while buying time. And Trump, with his “all or nothing” style, does not seem willing to give in without seeing concrete concessions. History tells us that when two heavyweights meet like this, those who pay the price are always the same: families that just want to live in peace.
