BYLINE: CHARLES CHIJIOKE
US President Donald Trump has expressed scepticism over a fresh peace proposal submitted by Iran, saying the terms may ultimately fall short of expectations.
In a post shared on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump said he would review the proposal but signalled little confidence in its acceptability, arguing that Iran had “not yet paid a big enough price for what they have done to Humanity, and the World, over the last 47 years”.
According to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, Tehran forwarded a 14-point response to an earlier proposal by the United States. While Washington had pushed for a two-month ceasefire, Iran countered by proposing that key issues be resolved within 30 days, insisting that attention should move beyond prolonging the truce to fully “ending the war”.
The Iranian response reportedly demands guarantees of non-aggression, withdrawal of US military presence from areas around Iran, removal of naval restrictions, and the release of its frozen assets. Other conditions include compensation payments, lifting of sanctions, cessation of hostilities across multiple fronts including Lebanon, and a new framework governing the Strait of Hormuz.
Amid the diplomatic exchanges, the US has accelerated multi-billion-dollar arms sales to regional allies including Israel, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Statements from the US State Department indicate that the combined value of the weapons packages exceeds $8 billion.
The development underscores ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran, with both sides maintaining hardline positions despite renewed diplomatic engagement. Trump’s remarks suggest that negotiations could face significant hurdles, raising the possibility of prolonged instability in the region if a mutually acceptable agreement is not reached.
