Donald Trump has once again pushed back the ultimatum he had set for Tehran, stating that the discussions were going “very well” despite the apparent distrust of the Islamic Republic towards his plan to end the war.
The American president has been threatening for several days to target Iranian power plants to accelerate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for global hydrocarbon trade.
Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social network that he was suspending, “at the request of the Iranian government (…), for ten days the destruction of power plants, until Monday, April 6 at 8:00 p.m. Washington time.”
“The discussions are ongoing and, contrary to what the lying media say (…), they are going very well,” he added.
After nearly four weeks of a war engulfing the Middle East and causing oil prices to soar, Iran is not backing down while Washington seems to be seeking a diplomatic way out.
In Israel, the opposition has indicated the end of political consensus on the conduct of the war, with its leader Ya’ir Lapid denouncing a war “on multiple fronts without strategy” and with “far too few soldiers.”
The country, which launched the offensive against Iran instead of the United States on February 28, is also carrying out airstrikes and ground operations in neighboring Lebanon, against the Hezbollah movement, an ally of Tehran. Explosions were reported on Friday morning in southern Beirut, according to AFP.
IDF spokesman Effie Defrin admitted on Thursday night that the army needed “additional forces.”
– “Good people” –
Diplomatic efforts have been made by the United States this week to silence the guns.
Washington presented Iran, via Pakistan, a proposal in 15 points.
If Tehran refuses to use the term “discussion” at this stage, an anonymous source cited by the Tasnim news agency stated Thursday that Iran had “officially” responded to the American plan “through intermediaries.” It has set conditions for a cessation of hostilities and now expects “a response from the other party.”
The American executive viewed the passage of several oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz favorably, through which a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies normally pass and have been effectively blocked by Iran for several weeks.
Iran has allowed “ten ships” to pass, according to Donald Trump, who believes this gesture shows that his administration is “negotiating with the right people” in Iran.
The Gulf States, where energy infrastructure and American interests are regularly targeted, have asked to participate in the negotiation process. They aim to “contribute to enhancing their security and stability,” according to Jassem Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman).
Israel, silent on these discussions, continues its military operations and assassinations of senior Iranian officials in the meantime.
The most recent was the killing of the chief of the Revolutionary Guards’ navy, Alireza Tangsiri, described by Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz as “directly responsible for the mining and blocking of the Strait of Hormuz.”
Tehran has not confirmed the information.
Israel is also under attack. A man was killed on Thursday in northern Israel following gunfire from neighboring Lebanon.
The Israeli army is “advancing a little more each day, but slowly” on the border between the two countries, according to a military source on the ground quoted by AFP.
According to Lebanese official sources, Israeli airstrikes have killed a thousand people and displaced a million.
Published on March 27 at 01:32, AFP.
