Trump claims war with Iran is over, but Tehran says talks are stalled
The US calls Iran's peace terms absurd while oil prices drop following the Democratic midterm victory.
By Anthony Foster ·
US President Donald Trump declared the war with Iran effectively over on Monday, stating there is momentum to end the conflict. This assessment came after he met with Qatar’s prime minister at the White House. The president’s remarks mark a shift in tone following the Republican Party’s defeat in the November 3 midterm elections, where Democrats campaigned against the war and rising energy prices.
Iranian officials have pushed back against the American characterization. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander, said on Tuesday that no negotiations are currently taking place. He told reporters in a television interview that Washington has not provided a clear response to Tehran’s conditions.
Rezaei stated that Iran is standing by its seven-point proposal from the summer. The plan includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC reported on Tuesday that three oil tankers caught fire after hitting mines in the strait. Rezaei said the American side’s initial response was insufficient and deceptive, and Tehran is still waiting for an explicit answer.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio directly challenged Iran’s demands on Tuesday. Speaking at a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Paris, he described the terms as absurd and not serious. Rubio noted that Iran is demanding reparations, arguing that Tehran should be paying them for destabilizing the region. He said the president has made clear that Iran will not receive pallets of cash.
The two nations remain at odds over the nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz. Financial terms were a major factor in the June memorandum of understanding that eventually collapsed. The deal fell apart over Iran’s bid to control traffic through the strait, which would have allowed Tehran to impose fees. Rubio said the administration is not in a rush to strike a deal because it believes it holds the upper hand in the waterway.
The US and Iran have imposed competing blockades in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has successfully attacked commercial ships linked to US Gulf allies. The US is providing military escorts for vessels exiting the waterway, a process that is costly and time-consuming. Rubio characterized the Iranian strikes as a nuisance rather than a battlefield success that would force the US to concede to the seven terms.
Rubio said that on some nights, 80 to 85 percent of pre-conflict oil and petroleum product flows are exiting the strait. He claimed the only oil not getting out consistently is Iranian oil. This statement contrasts with reports from Gulf partners who are bracing for an uncertain environment. They fear the status quo of sporadic strikes will deter investment plans.
Saudi Arabia is also facing intense missile and drone attacks from Yemen’s Houthis. Rubio dismissed the idea that Gulf states are facing an economic crunch, despite GDP numbers showing otherwise. He said Iran is suffering the most and that the US approach is an economic war on Tehran. The pressure is devastating and working so well, he argued, that the president concluded there is no need for major combat operations.
Oil prices plunged after Democrats took back Congress, with expectations that Trump would be constrained from launching new attacks. Brent crude, the international benchmark, was down almost 15 percent in the past week. It traded at $91.37 per barrel on Tuesday. US gas prices have been down only four percent in the same period.
The US is not looking to restart major combat operations, according to Rubio. He said the administration is achieving its objectives through economic means rather than military force. The debate over the state of the war continues as both sides assess their positions in the Gulf.
