Trump Rejects Iran Truce Proposal Ahead of Midterms
US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran's cease-fire proposal and chosen to wait until maritime blockade and sanctions tighten further on Iran. Earlier, Iran said it would open the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States lifted the port blockade, exempted oil sanctions, and returned $12 billion (about 16.3 trillion won) in frozen assets.
Experts say Trump's characteristic calculation is at play: that a bit more pressure on Iran could extract a near-white-flag, complete concession. The political intent to avoid appearing weak ahead of the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections is also seen as a major factor.
Trump argued in an interview with Axios that Iran 'overplayed it' and attached excessive preconditions for a cease-fire. He predicted talks would resume this week, but said he was 'always thinking about resuming airstrikes'. Meanwhile, the United States controls the Strait of Hormuz, and a U.S. government official told CNN there's no reason to rush talks.
Some warn that the long-war strategy Trump believes in could backfire badly: soaring energy prices and increased military exposure over time could boomerang on Middle East allies and the U.S. economy. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 63% of Americans opposed a war with Iran, more than double the support.