Iran keeps Trump waiting for response on US peace proposal in Middle East

US guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta shadows the Iran-flagged crude oil tanker vessel Stream as part of the US blockade of Iranian ports. Photo / AFP

Iran has questioned the seriousness of United States diplomacy in the wake of renewed naval clashes in the Gulf, while keeping Washington waiting for a response to its latest negotiating position.

US President Donald Trump had said yesterday NZT that he was expecting Iran’s answer to Washington’s latest proposal for a deal “supposedly tonight”.

But if Iran sent Pakistani mediators a response, there was no public sign of it, and Tehran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called into question the reliability of the US leadership in a call with his Turkish counterpart.

He said: “The recent escalation of tensions by American forces in the Persian Gulf and their numerous actions in violating the ceasefire have added to suspicions about the motivation and seriousness of the American side in the path of diplomacy”.

In an incident, a US fighter jet had fired on and disabled two Iranian-flagged tankers that Washington accused of challenging its blockade of Iran’s ports. An Iranian military official told local media the Navy had responded with strikes.

That incident followed another flare-up the night before in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has shut down the waterway and the US says it is unacceptable for Tehran to control the key oil route.

Washington has sent Iran, via Pakistani mediators, a proposal to extend the truce in the Gulf to allow for talks on a final settlement of the conflict, launched 10 weeks ago with US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

A reporter for French broadcaster LCI, Margot Haddad, said that Trump had told her in a brief interview that he still expected to find out Iran’s answer “very soon”.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the proposal was still “under review”.

Britain said that it was sending a naval destroyer to the region as part of “prudent planning” for a British- and French-led coalition to facilitate shipping in the Strait of Hormuz once a durable ceasefire was reached.

The British Defence Ministry said HMS Dragon would strengthen the confidence of commercial vessels and support mine clearance efforts.

In Lebanon, a parallel ceasefire is under strain amid daily exchanges of fire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Authorities said eight people were killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, while state media reported air raids targeting a highway south of Beirut, outside the militant group’s traditional strongholds.

An AFP correspondent saw two destroyed cars and emergency workers along the road about 20km from the capital.

Hezbollah said that it launched a drone at soldiers in northern Israel in retaliation for ceasefire violations.

The Israeli military reported several explosive drones launched into Israel, saying an Army reservist was severely wounded and two others moderately injured in one of the attacks.

The fresh strikes come as Lebanon and Israel, officially at war since 1948, are to hold direct negotiations in Washington in the coming week, which Hezbollah vehemently opposes.

- AFP