Iran-US war latest: Explosions heard in Dubai as Trump says Tehran ‘afraid’ to admit to peace talks
Oil prices climbed on Thursday morning to $103 a barrel after Iran said it was still reviewing a US proposal to end the war, which has disrupted energy flows.
US president Donald Trump last night said Iranian leaders are negotiating with Washington but were afraid to admit due to fears of being “killed by their own people”. “…they want to make a deal so badly,” Mr Trump said.
Mr Trump’s 15-point proposal, sent through Pakistan, calls for removing Iran’s stocks of highly enriched uranium, halting enrichment, curbing its ballistic missile program, and cutting off funding for regional allies, according to three Israeli cabinet sources familiar with the plan.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said messages had been exchanged via mediators, but this “does not mean negotiations” with the US were ongoing. He said Tehran had demanded a permanent end to the war and compensation for all destruction during the conflict.
Meanwhile, the US has confirmed the deployment of troops to the Middle East after Iran reportedly sent back the “excessive” demands of Mr Trump’s peace plan.
