US President Donald Trump is expected to reject Iran's latest proposal to end the war. The president hinted Monday that he was not expected to accept Tehran's proposal to end the conflict. According to a CNN report, based on information that reached Washington, Tehran proposed a plan that would allow the Strait of Hormuz to reopen, while questions concerning its nuclear program would be deferred to a later stage of negotiations.
The New York Times reported that Trump told advisers he was unhappy with Iran's latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war, according to several people briefed on the discussions in the White House Situation Room on Monday.
In addition, according to the newspaper, the US believes that Iran's negotiating team has not been authorized by Mojtaba Khamenei to agree to nuclear concessions, and that only strikes will change its position.
Two officials familiar with the details told CNN that Trump expressed his position during a meeting held Monday with senior National Security Council officials, at which the Iranian issue was discussed. One of the officials said Trump was not inclined to accept the proposal, which was conveyed to the United States in recent days.
According to US officials, reopening the strait without resolving the issue of Iranian uranium enrichment and Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium near weapons-grade level is a key bargaining chip that the US will not easily give up. On the other hand, leaving the strait blocked would prolong the energy supply crisis and continue to drive up fuel prices in the United States.
After Monday's meeting ended, it was unclear what Trump's next steps would be. US officials have expressed concern over what they describe as internal divisions within the Iranian regime and are not certain who holds the final authority to decide on a possible agreement. At the same time, Trump has publicly expressed doubt about renewed fighting and US strikes.
