Trump Rejects Iran Counteroffer as Hormuz Tanker Passes
CNBC reported Sunday that President Donald Trump flatly dismissed Iran’s latest peace proposal, calling the counteroffer totally unacceptable in a Truth Social post shortly after receiving it.
Iran had routed its proposal through Pakistani mediators. The offer called for a 30-day lifting of US Treasury sanctions on Iranian oil sales and an end to the naval blockade on its ports.
Iran’s Proposal Falls Well Short of US Demands
Tehran’s counteroffer stopped short of addressing American demands on its nuclear program. Instead, Iran proposed separate nuclear negotiations as a distinct track from the broader ceasefire talks.
On the uranium question, Iran suggested diluting some of its highly enriched stockpile and transferring the remainder to a third country. The material would revert to Iran if the US later exited any agreement reached.
In return for ending the port blockade, Tehran offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels. Trump’s swift rejection leaves that arrangement in doubt.
Background: A War That Has Rattled Global Energy Markets
The conflict began on February 28 when the US and Israel launched military operations targeting Iran. The fighting has triggered a global energy crisis by disrupting one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors.
Since then, sporadic ceasefire breaches have kept the strait largely closed to commercial traffic, cutting off key gas imports to countries including Pakistan and triggering widespread power outages there.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a taped CBS interview set to air Sunday, said the war remains unfinished. He cited remaining enriched uranium, active enrichment sites, Iranian proxy networks, and ballistic missile ambitions as unresolved issues.
Tanker Crossing Offers Thin Relief as Drone Strikes Continue
A QatarEnergy-operated LNG carrier called the Al Kharaitiyat became the first Qatari gas vessel to transit the strait since the war started. The ship was bound for Pakistan’s Port Qasim. Shipping analytics firm Kpler tracked the crossing. Iran reportedly approved the passage to build goodwill with Qatar and Pakistan, both of whom are acting as mediators.
A Panama-flagged bulk carrier also passed through using a route designated by Iranian armed forces.
Despite those small developments, Gulf states remained on alert. The UAE said it intercepted two Iranian drones. Qatar condemned a drone strike on a cargo vessel in its waters. Kuwait reported its air defenses engaged hostile drones early Sunday.
With Trump scheduled to visit China this week, pressure to resolve the conflict is intensifying. The war’s drag on global trade and energy supply chains is growing harder for major economies to absorb.
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