Iran denies Trump's claim it requested ceasefire | BBC News
Iran has denied Donald Trump's claim that it requested a ceasefire, after Trump announced the US war with Iran could end in 2-3 weeks with or without a deal. Global markets rallied on Trump's comments while governments worldwide implement measures to cope with economic fallout from the ongoing conflict.
Summary
Donald Trump has signaled that the US war with Iran could conclude within 2-3 weeks, claiming the US has achieved its war aims including regime change and limiting Iran's nuclear capabilities. However, Trump's statements contain inconsistencies - he previously said opening the Strait of Hormuz was a world problem, but now makes it a prerequisite for peace. He also claims Iran's president asked for a ceasefire, which Iran has firmly denied. Iranian officials clarified that President Masoud Peshkian's statement about having the will to end the war was conditional on Iran's requirements being met, including reparations and guarantees against future attacks. Trump's comments about buried enriched uranium being acceptable because it's underground contradicts previous US demands. Iran continues to deny ceasefire requests and maintains the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed to enemies. The conflict has created global economic disruption, with governments implementing various measures - some focused on reducing energy consumption (like Thailand's higher air conditioning settings and Philippines' 4-day work week) while others protect consumers through fuel duty cuts and VAT reductions. Heavy strikes on Tehran continue, with Israeli military targeting infrastructure, while Iran retaliates against Israel and Gulf neighbors including UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Trump is expected to give a major address, though it may focus more on operational assessments rather than major announcements. He continues threatening to withdraw from NATO, arguing other members should automatically support the US in this conflict.
Key Insights
- Trump claims the US has already accomplished its war aims including regime change and limiting Iran's nuclear weapon capabilities, but says the US will continue attacking until the Strait of Hormuz is open
- Trump states he doesn't care about Iran's 440 kilos of enriched uranium buried underground after bombing, despite this previously being a key demand that could have involved ground troops
- Iran's conditions for ending the war include reparations and ironclad guarantees that it won't be attacked again, which differs significantly from Trump's characterization of a ceasefire request
- Even Iran's statement about having the will to end the war has been criticized by the IRGC and hardline media inside Iran for potentially showing weakness to Americans
- Trump threatens to pull the US out of NATO because he believes other alliance members should have automatically come to America's defense, though NATO members remain confused about the war's justification
Topics
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