US President Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum for Iran to accept a deal to end the war or face renewed, more intense US bombing, in the latest of a series of abrupt policy shifts.
“Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is perhaps a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end,” Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social platform,” using the US name for its campaign against Iran.
“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before,” he added.
Mr Trump’s post came after US news outlet Axios reported that Washington and Tehran were close to agreeing on a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations.
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Mr Trump late yesterday announced a pause in a US military operation to guide stranded commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz – after only a day – citing a chance to seal a deal to end the war.
The proposed 14-point, one-page memorandum would formally end the war, followed by discussions to unblock shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, lift US sanctions on Iran and agree curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme, a source from mediator Pakistan and another source briefed on the mediation said.
“We will close this very soon. We are getting close,” the Pakistani source said.
Last month Pakistan hosted the war’s only peace talks so far, and it has continued in that role of mediator, ferrying proposals between the sides.
Mr Trump said Washington’s blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place as Tehran kept up its own closure of the vital trade route, which has rocked markets and spiked fuel prices.
Vessels pictured anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off southern Iran this week
Mr Trump wrote on social media that the decision to halt his so-called “Project Freedom” a day after it began came after requests from “mediator Pakistan and other countries”, saying “Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement” with Tehran.
“We have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom… will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed,” Mr Trump wrote.
Reports of the possible agreement caused global oil prices to plunge, with benchmark Brent crude futures falling more than 8% to around $100 a barrel. Global share prices also leapt and bond yields fell on optimism of an end to a war that has disrupted energy supplies.
Iran said now that US “threats” had ended, passage through the strait would be possible under new terms it was putting in place, without giving details.
US news channel CNBC quoted a spokesperson from the Iranian foreign ministry as saying Tehran was evaluating a 14-point US proposal.
The source briefed on the mediation said the US negotiations were being led by Mr Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
If both sides agreed on the preliminary deal, that would start the clock on 30 days of detailed negotiations to reach a full agreement, the source said.
The source said the full agreement would include the US lifting sanctions and releasing frozen Iranian funds, Iran and the United States lifting competing blockades on the Strait of Hormuz, and curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme, with the aim of seeking a pause or moratorium on Iranian enrichment of uranium.
Donald Trump yesterday said Iran should ‘wave the white flag of surrender’
While the sources said the memorandum would not initially require concessions from either side, the sources and Axios did not mention several of the key demands that the US has made in the past and that have previously been rejected by Iran.
US demands that were not mentioned include curbs on Iran’s missile programme and an end to its support for proxy militias in the Middle East.
While the sources spoke of a moratorium on future Iranian enrichment of uranium, they did not mention Iran’s existing stockpile of more than 400kg of uranium enriched to near weapons grade. The US has previously demanded Iran give this up before any end to the war.
The Axios report said the US expected Iranian responses on several key points in the next 48 hours.
The US is maintaining a blockade of Iran’s ports in a bid to pressure Iran to make a deal to end the war that the United States and Israel launched on 28 February.
Tensions had been soaring over the Hormuz operation, with the United States saying it had sunk seven Iranian boats, and several civilian vessels coming under attack, allegedly from Iran.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier that the United States has completed its offensive operations against Iran, which it dubbed ‘Operation Epic Fury’.
Mr Rubio’s comments echoed statements to Congress nearly a month into a fragile ceasefire.
“The operation is over – Epic Fury – as the president notified Congress. We’re done with that stage of it,” Mr Rubio told reporters at the White House.
Marco Rubio told reporters the objectives of ‘Operation Fury’ had been achieved
The clashes in the Strait of Hormuz were not part of the original war, he said.
“This is not an offensive operation; this is a defensive operation,” Mr Rubio said. “And what that means is very simple – there’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first.”
Israel and the United States attacked Iran on 28 February, killing top leaders and destroying major military and economic sites but not forcing the collapse of the Islamic republic, which has responded with missile and drone attacks across the region.
Mr Trump on 8 April declared a ceasefire with Iran that he has since extended, even though negotiations with Iran have been at a standstill.
Mr Rubio said the United States has “achieved the objectives” of the war.
“These guys are facing real, catastrophic destruction to their economy,” he said, while adding that Mr Trump still preferred a negotiated deal with Iran.
Israeli strike kills four in east Lebanon
Meanwhile, an Israeli strike in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa valley killed four people today, Lebanon’s health ministry said, with local media reporting the attack took place before the Israeli army issued a warning to evacuate the area along with 11 other towns.
“An Israeli enemy raid on the town of Zellaya in West Bekaa resulted in four martyrs, including two women and an elderly man,” the ministry said.
Lebanese state media said the attack struck the house of the town’s mayor, killing him and three members of his family.