Mike Waltz said Trump was not convinced that Iran was negotiating in good faith.
Because tehran wanted sanctions relief and other concessions before negotiations on its nuclear programme, uS Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s latest proposal to end the ongoing conflict. Because it sought major concessions before substantive talks could begin, he also argued that Tehran’s proposal was unacceptable.
“They were asking for everything up front,” Waltz told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday. He said Iran was seeking relief from “billions and billions” of dollars in sanctions before agreeing to negotiate an end to its nuclear programme. Waltz said Trump was not convinced that Iran was negotiating in good faith.
The plan called for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a resumption of nuclear talks in return for the US lifting its naval blockade of Iranian ports, easing sanctions on Iranian oil sales and agreeing to a seven-day ceasefire, according to Politico . Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran remained open to diplomacy but insisted that any reopening of the Strait of Hormuz would depend on Tehran meeting its conditions. “We are fully prepared for the war to be resumed,” he said, while adding that Iran remained ready for diplomacy. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also said his country was prepared to hold talks over its nuclear programme and other issues, but would not accept what he described as “bullying or coercion”.
Iran has disputed the US account. Trump on Saturday confirmed that he had rejected the Iranian proposal.