Donald Trump has reportedly demanded changes to a preliminary Iran war ceasefire agreement drawn up by American and Iranian negotiators.
The President has drawn up a tougher framework for peace and sent the agreement back to Tehran for consideration, the New York Times reports having spoken to three officials familiar with the negotiations.
Trump has reportedly been concerned about parts of the potential deal that would include unfreezing funds for the Iranians, two of the officials said.
On Friday (May 29), the US President met with his top aides in the Situation Room for around two hours to discuss the agreement which would conflict with Iran but there was no official announcement on the outcome.
Sticking points in negotiations over the document, known as the memorandum of understanding, have previously included Iran’s hold over the Strait of Hormuz, and the US’ subsequent blockade of the shipping route, as well as curtailing Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.
New UpdatesView PostToday10:12 BST
Iranian offiicials say that they are not in a hurry regarding the negotiations with the US. Any deal that is going to be signed, the say, must ensure and guarantee Iran’s national interests.
However, they are saying that there has been some significant progress with many issues largely been resolved. Amendments, messages and proposals are still ongoing between the two parties through Pakistani mediators.
Major sticking points are all about the economy, reports Al-Jazeera. The first one is reportedly Iran’s frozen assets in the US. The second sticking point is about Iran’s requested reconstruction fund. The third is Iran’s request for exemption from the ban on its oil and petrochemical sales.
Christopher MallettToday10:05 BST
Donald Trump has reportedly toughened the terms of a potential peace deal with Iran and has sent the alterations to the document, called the memorandum of understanding, back to Tehran for consideration, three officials told the New York Times.
It was not immediately clear what changes had been made.
The publication reports Trump had been concerned about unfreezing Iranian funds as part of the potential deal, having been highly critical of President Barack Obama in the past for making such an agreemet to curtail Iran’s nuclear program.
Officials also say the POTUS has become frustrated by Tehran’s seemingly slow response to his negotiations with his new, tougher plan intended to try to speed up the process by piling on pressure to Iran to accept the framework.
It is reported the framework would effectively end the US-Israeli operation in Iran, in exchange for Iran lifting its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, while other issues such as Iran’s nuclear capabilities, would be put off to later rounds of negotiations.
Iran would reportedly open up the Strait of Hormuz as part of the agreement(Image: Xinhua/Shutterstock)