SOURCE: CNN
President reviewing new peace plan as Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps says room for US decision-making “has narrowed.”
- Peace proposal: US President Donald Trump said he can’t imaginea new peace plan from Iran he will review “would be acceptable” adding they have not yet paid “a big enough price for what they have done.” Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the room for US decision-making “has narrowed.”
- Strait of Hormuz: Iran’s parliament is set to approve a lawplacing restrictions on which vessels can pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to state media. The average cost of gas in the US rose to $4.45 a gallon on Saturday as the war continues to choke global oil supplies.
- In Lebanon:The Israeli military has issued an urgent evacuation warning for multiple towns in southern Lebanon, including several north of the Litani River. Two of the areas are north of the band of territory occupied by Israeli forces.
- Arms sales: Meanwhile, the US has fast-tracked $8B in arms salesto its Middle East allies, and Israel has separately approved plans to buy new fighter squadrons, citing “operational lessons” from the Iran war.
Gas prices have increased by 34 cents from a week ago and $1.47 since the start of the war in Iran on February 28.
The war has choked global oil supplies, causing gas prices to surge. In California, the average price for regular gas has climbed to $6.10 a gallon.
The national average price of a gallon of diesel, the fuel used in the trucking industry, has reached $5.64. On February 28, the national average price of a gallon of diesel was $3.76.
Any breakthrough in negotiations between the US and Iran depends on a “change” in Washington’s behavior, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan told the state news agency IRNA today.
The Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence arm said the room for US decision-making “has narrowed,” citing changes to the diplomatic arena that Tehran claims has pushed Washington into a corner.
Iranian authorities plan to turn a bomb site at a university in Isfahan into a museum showing the impact of US-Israeli strikes, the semi-official news agency Tasnim reported.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military issued an urgent evacuation warning for multiple towns in southern Lebanon this morning, including several north of the Litani River, despite Israel’s current ceasefire with Hezbollah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also hailed the planned purchase of two new squadrons of advanced US-made fighter jets, saying it would “bolster Israel’s overwhelming air superiority.”
Separately, the oil cartel OPEC announced that it will raise output production targets today, while making no mention of the United Arab Emirates quitting the organization earlier this week.
Oil cartel OPEC has announced a boost to its production while making no mention of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) quitting the organization.
In a statement today, OPEC said Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman will raise output production targets to an additional 188 thousand barrels per day, as they confirmed their commitment to market stability.
The seven countries will meet on June 7, the OPEC statement said, and monthly meetings will be held to review market conditions.
The Iran war and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has hit oil exports from OPEC members including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Kuwait.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the planned purchase of two new squadrons of advanced US-made fighter jets, saying it would “bolster Israel’s overwhelming air superiority.”
On Sunday morning, the Israeli Ministry of Defense announced plans to purchase a squadron of F-35I stealth fighter jets and F-15IA jets as part of a massive increase in the future defense budget.
In a video statement, Netanyahu said Israel will add 350 billion shekels (approx. $118 billion) to the defense budget over the next decade as the country seeks to become independent of foreign weapons producers. He also said Israel will develop its own “groundbreaking Israeli-made aircraft.”
Netanyahu also addressed the threat of drones that Israel has faced in southern Lebanon and northern Israel. He said he had ordered a “special project” to counter the threat of drones, but he cautioned that it will not be a quick issue to handle.’
It is coming up to one month since the US and Iran first agreed to a ceasefire.
April 7: Trump warns that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran does not agree to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Hours later, a two-week ceasefire is announced.
April 11: US and Iranian officials meet for face-to-face talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, lasting 21 hours.
April 12: US Vice President JD Vance announces the sides have “not reached an agreement,” largely because of Iran’s refusal to abandon its nuclear program. The leader of the Iranian negotiators, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, says the US failed to gain the trust of the Iranian side. Later in the day, Trump says the ceasefire is still “holding well.”
April 13: The US implements a blockade of Iranian ports, as a US official says the US and Iran are still engaged in talks. Trump says that if a deal is not reached by the end of the ceasefire, “it won’t be pleasant” for Iran.
April 17: After Iran says it will reopen the Strait of Hormuz in response to a separate ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, Trump says the US’ blockade of Iranian ports will continue until a final deal to end the war is agreed. Iran says it will close the strait again if the blockade continues.
April 18: Iran says it is once again shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, blaming the US for “breaches of trust.” Trump says that negotiations are still ongoing but shows frustration, saying Iran “got a little cute” when closing the strait again. Ghalibaf says the US and Iran are “still far from a final agreement” in an interview with state television.
April 19: Trump says US representatives will be traveling to Islamabad for a second round of negotiations with Iran. Iranian sources familiar with the negotiations tell CNN that a delegation representing Tehran will also be traveling to Pakistan for talks, though Iranian state media reports that Iran’s presence in Islamabad is not confirmed.
April 20: Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says “as of now,” Iran has “no plans for the next round of negotiations.” Trump says it’s “highly unlikely” he will extend the ceasefire, which he says will expire in two days.
April 21: Trump says he expects to continue bombing Iran if a deal to extend the ceasefire is not reached by the next day. Pakistan’s information minister says he is still trying to convince Iran to participate in talks. In the afternoon, Trump says he will extend the ceasefire until Iran submits a proposal to end the conflict permanently.
April 22: Ghalibaf says a “complete ceasefire” would be meaningful only if it is not undermined by the US’ naval blockade. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterates this.
April 23: Trump says he has “all the time in the world” to reach a deal to end the war, also telling reporters at the White House, “don’t rush me,” when pressed on a timetable.
April 24: Sources tell CNN that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad in the evening. Trump administration officials also tell CNN that Trump is planning to send a US delegation to Pakistan for talks with Araghchi, but Baghaei says “no meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US.”
April 25: Araghchi meets with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, then leaves the country in the evening. Trump says he has canceled the US delegation’s scheduled trip to Pakistan, due to “infighting” among Iran’s leadership.
April 27: Iran’s state media Fars reports that Araghchi gave a list of Iran’s “red lines” to be conveyed to the US during his trip to Pakistan. A source familiar with the matter tells CNN that Iran has put forward a new proposal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz but leaves the state of talks on key US demands unclear. Sources tell CNN that Trump signaled he is not likely to accept the new proposal.
April 29: Trump says that he has rejected Iran’s proposal of lifting the US blockade and opening the Strait of Hormuz, saying he first wants some guarantees on curbing the Iranian nuclear program. He also says that negotiations to end the war with Iran are happening “telephonically.”
April 30: Axios reports that Trump will be briefed on new plans for potential military action in Iran that could include a “short and powerful” wave of strikes. Tehran says it will respond to any further US bombing with “long and painful strikes.” Trump says only he and a few others know the true state of the Iran talks.
May 1: Sources familiar with the negotiation process tell CNN that Iran has sent a proposal to Pakistani mediators, which Trump says he is “not satisfied” with. The US leader says his options are to try and make a deal with Iran or “go and just blast the hell out of them.”
May 2: A senior Iranian military official says renewed conflict with the US is “possible” after Trump rejected Iran’s proposal. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reports that Tehran has submitted a 14-point response to a US proposal, as Trump says he will soon review a new plan from Iran. He adds that he “can’t imagine that it would be acceptable.”
Iran “remains determined to follow the path of diplomacy,” Amiri Moghadam said, adding that “everything depends on the Americans.”
“If they are seeking breakthrough in the negotiations, they must change their behavior.”
The ambassador said that the world can see Iran’s “logical and clear approach,” whereas Washington is portraying “unstable behavior.”
German media has been reacting to the news that the US will pull troops from Germany, as US President Donald Trump said Washington will reduce the number of servicemen “a lot further” than the initial 5,000 announced by the Pentagon this week.
“(Ramstein Air Base) is the global gateway for the American military… I think it’s impossible to close Ramstein from one to the other day,” mayor Ralf Hechler told Germany’s state-funded broadcaster Deutsche Welle.
From Iran’s one-month deadline for the US to end its naval blockade, to what the IRGC claims is a “shift” in Russia, China and European countries’ tones towards Washington, the IRGC said there is “only one way” to read these developments.
The Israeli military issued an urgent evacuation warning Sunday morning for multiple towns in southern Lebanon, including several north of the Litani River.
