WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Friday rejected Iran’s latest proposal to end hostilities, saying Tehran’s demands could not be accepted and warning that military action remains an option.
According to New York Post, President Trump while speaking to reporters before departing the White House said Iran “wants to make a deal so badly” but is “not there yet.” He insisted the United States would not compromise on its demand that Tehran abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
“We just had a conversation with Iran, let’s see what happens. But I would say that I am not happy,” he told reporters at the White House. “… They’re asking for things that I can’t agree to.”
“They want to make a deal so badly, but they’re not there yet. They’re not there,” Trump said. “In my opinion, they’re not there.”
Iran had passed a draft proposal through mediators, but details were not disclosed. Trump declined to specify which measures were unacceptable, while Iranian and Pakistani sources also withheld information.
The president criticized the War Powers Act’s 60‑day limit on military engagement without congressional approval, calling it “unconstitutional.” He said he had been briefed by senior military officials on possible scenarios, ranging from further strikes to continued negotiations.
Although Trump stressed he would “prefer not” to order new attacks “on a human basis,” he described divisions within Iran’s leadership as a barrier to progress.
According to New York Post, as negotiations continue to falter, the president said the option to launch a new wave of strikes on Iran remains on the table — which he said Chief of the Joint Staff Gen. Dan Caine laid out for him in a briefing Thursday.
