US and Iran exchange proposals to avert further conflict

Istanbul (ANTARA) – In an effort to avoid a broader conflict, the United States and Iran exchanged a number of proposed documents and counterproposals last week. According to The Washington Post, citing several officials on Monday, 18 May, U.S. President Donald Trump was dissatisfied with Iran’s initial proposals on limits to nuclear enrichment and was seeking a framework with broader constraints. In earlier talks, the United States had asked that Iran be barred from enriching uranium for 25 years. However, the report said, Iran rejected that proposal. Next, the United States proposed extending the ban on Iran’s uranium enrichment to 20 years, which Iran again rejected. In the latest discussions, the United States indicated the possibility of easing sanctions on Iran’s oil exports if Tehran agreed to halt its support for proxy groups in the region. On Monday, 18 May, Trump decided to delay another attack on Iran after several regional countries told him that a comprehensive agreement to end the war had almost been reached. Trump said the Arab leaders—Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and several others—urged him to delay the strike because they believed a deal was very near. Those Arab leaders told Trump they did not want their oil and energy facilities damaged by Iranian retaliatory strikes. Tensions in the region rose since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February, triggering Tehran’s retaliation and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. The ceasefire began on 8 April and was followed by talks in Islamabad that failed to yield a lasting agreement. The ceasefire was subsequently extended indefinitely.