What does Trump want and what does Iran reject in any potential negotiations?

SadaNews - There seems to be a wide disagreement over the issues that should be discussed in the potential U.S.-Iran negotiations, as Washington insists on resolving the nuclear issue in Tehran while the latter seeks to postpone this issue until after the official end of the war.

U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected a proposal recently made by Iran through a Pakistani intermediary, stating that officials in Tehran contacted him and informed him that they are economically collapsed and wish to end the blockade and open the Strait of Hormuz, which the Iranians denied.

Potential Revised Proposal

With Trump's rejection of this proposal, CNN reported on an Iranian attempt to present a revised version that might be acceptable to Trump. However, the U.S. administration is keeping a tight lid on the contents of this potential plan, according to Al Jazeera correspondent in Washington, Nasser Al-Husseini.

Trump is frustrated by the prolonged negotiations and seeks a quick solution, rejecting giving the Iranians the chance to manipulate time by dividing negotiation files in the hope of completing his presidential term, according to Al-Husseini.

There are advisers recommending the U.S. president to impose more pressure and sanctions. Axios reported that Trump is in contact with hawks outside his administration who advise him to return to military action to break the current stalemate.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Iranians informed the Pakistani intermediary of their need for some time to consult with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei about presenting a revised plan. This comes amid discussions about the possibility of military strikes targeting Iranian political and military leaders.

The Stumbling Block

The Iranian nuclear issue represents a red line that Trump refuses to back down from, while he can ease his stance on matters such as Iran's missile program and its support for proxies in the region, according to Al-Husseini.

Convincing Tehran to abandon enriched uranium to avoid further military and economic pressures is currently Trump's main objective, especially since he has become convinced of the efficacy of the maritime blockade, which could provide him with the victory image he seeks, according to Al Jazeera's correspondent.

The U.S. president shows no signs of retreating from his position on the war, maintaining his demands regarding the nuclear program, which Al-Husseini states will be the focus of any future negotiations, as Trump refuses to allow Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons now or in the future.

Trump also sees no danger to his political position due to what Al-Husseini described as "the American public's understanding of the circumstances of the war and the resulting price increases," and thus he remains committed to getting what he wants.

In this context, the Wall Street Journal reported from officials that Trump "refuses to abandon the demand for the Iranians to commit not to enrich uranium for at least twenty years," and that he has instructed preparations for a prolonged blockade on Iran.

Dead End

However, the Iranians believe that negotiating a comprehensive agreement takes time. They, therefore, seek to officially end the war and lift the sanctions imposed on their country, before moving on to the other important technical files, according to Al Jazeera correspondent in Tehran, Omar Hwaish.

Despite the Iranian attempts to stir up stagnant negotiations through their recent proposal, they believe the negotiations have reached a dead end because of what Hwaish described as "the contradictory American behavior and the excessive demands."

This may have prompted Iranian military leaders to speak in recent hours about their readiness to resume the war, threatening new surprises if fighting renews.

An official from the Revolutionary Guard Navy hinted at introducing new elements into the equation, referring to the possibility of closing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait via the Houthi Ansar Allah, according to Hwaish. Meanwhile, an Iranian army spokesman stated, "The armed forces do not believe that the war is over and they will strike the enemy with blows greater than expected."

Iran asserts that the American blockade on its ports is not complete and claims it has data confirming that many ships have surpassed this blockade, but it can no longer export about 1.6 million barrels of oil daily, as it did before the blockade, according to Hwaish.

With the decline in export volume, Iran may face a crisis of surplus oil stock that threatens to halt production in the future and harm an economy already damaged by continuous U.S. sanctions for years, according to Al Jazeera correspondent in Tehran, who said that the effects of the blockade are tangible in rising prices, despite the economy not completely collapsing.

Source: Al Jazeera