Trump says Iran ceasefire on life support after ‘garbage’ response, weighs action
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The news: Donald Trump said the US-Iran ceasefire on “massive life support” on Monday (Tuesday AEST) after rejecting Tehran’s latest peace proposal, with Axios reporting the US president then meet with his national security team to weigh a possible return to military strikes.
The context: Trump’s comments at the White House came after Iran’s response called for US war reparations, recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, an end to the US naval blockade and the lifting of sanctions, according to Iran’s state broadcaster.
Trump dismissed Iran’s response to his proposal as a “piece of garbage” telling reporters at the Oval Office that he “didn’t even finish reading it.”
Trump is expected to leave for Beijing on Wednesday and return Friday. Axios reported that two unnamed officials said they do not expect Trump to order military action against Iran before he returns.
The Iran war will be central to his talks with Xi. Trump is expected to press the Chinese president to lean on Tehran.
Axios cited three unnamed US officials saying Trump is leaning toward some form of military action, with options including resuming the US ship-escort operation through the strait named ‘Project Freedom’ that was suspended last week, or striking about 25% of Iranian targets identified but not yet hit.
What they said: “The ceasefire with Iran is on massive life support,” Trump said. “Where the doctor walks in and says, ‘Sir, your loved one has approximately a one-percent chance of living’.”
Trump also claimed Iran had verbally agreed to hand over its enriched uranium stockpile but omitted any mention of it in its written response, a claim Iran has not publicly confirmed.
Earlier on Monday, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said reporters the proposal reflected the country’s “legitimate rights.”
The sources: The White House, Axios, The New York Times
