Trump sends back text of revised Iran deal; Demand for ‘strict language’ on nuclear terms, reopening of Strait of Hormuz
Just a week after declaring the proposed deal with Iran “substantially finalized”, US President donald trump Iran has reportedly sent the deal back for revisions, prolonging negotiations and creating new uncertainty over efforts to end the conflict.During the meeting with advisers, Trump urged tougher provisions on Iran’s nuclear commitments and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, according to CNN. He has also expressed concern over the extent of financial relief offered to Tehran under any deal, being wary of comparisons with the Obama-era nuclear deal, which he has repeatedly criticized as too generous.The latest round of changes comes a week after Trump said the deal was “substantially finalized” and signaled an end to hostilities was near. Since then, US officials have signaled progress toward a deal that would stop the fighting, reopen the strait and allow further detailed talks on Iran’s nuclear program.However, despite Trump saying he would make a “final decision” during Friday’s meeting and outlining some terms on social media, the two-hour session ended without a decision. In his message, Trump said the US would seize and destroy Iran’s reserves of highly enriched uranium, although Iran has consistently said it is not discussing details of its nuclear program as part of the ongoing talks.Trump also said there has been no discussion of exchanging funds as part of the agreement, while Iran has said any agreement should include financial provisions. How these differences will be resolved is unclear as negotiations continue over the wording of the deal.Earlier, Axios also reported that Trump had sought amendments to the proposed agreement, including stricter language on reopening the Strait of Hormuz in the agreement with Iran.Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that no deal with the US would be approved until Tehran’s “rights” were secured, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. “The soldiers on the diplomatic battlefield have no confidence in the words and promises of the enemy. What matters to us are the concrete achievements we must achieve, in return for which we will fulfill our commitments,” Iran’s Tasnim news agency quoted him as saying.Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Chris Coons, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the conditions outlined by Trump appear acceptable on paper, but they may be difficult to implement, especially with regard to the Strait of Hormuz.
