On Monday, the 48th day of the U.S.–Iran ceasefire, President Donald Trump urged a host of Middle East nations to join the Abraham Accords, which have normalized relations between Israel and Muslim nations.
“By copy of this TRUTH, I am asking my Representatives to begin, and successfully complete, the process of signing these Countries into the already Historic Abraham Accords,” Trump posted on Truth Social Monday morning, adding that “it should be mandatory” that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, and Jordan join the agreement and normalize relationships with Israel. The refusal of countries in the Middle East to normalize ties with Israel stems from the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory, characterized as “apartheid” by the UN.
Iran’s leading diplomats, including Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, traveled to Doha, Qatar on Monday to work on a deal to extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported Sunday that the first phase of the memorandum of understanding being considered to end the war would include the U.S. lifting its blockade of Hormuz and waiving sanctions on Iranian oil during the negotiation period, allowing Tehran to sell oil without restrictions. The deal also reportedly includes “an understanding in which the end of the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, is emphasized.” In exchange, Iran would allow vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz at “pre-war levels,” but according to Tasnim, Iran would retain control over the waterway, saying that “despite some Western media reports,” the “Strait of Hormuz situation will not return to pre-war conditions.”
Drop Site News, citing a senior Iranian official, reported Friday that nuclear talks would follow as a separate track with Iran offering to suspend enrichment above 3.6 percent for ten years and dilute existing higher-enriched uranium inside the country under international supervision.
The New York Post and other outlets, citing anonymous Trump administration officials, claimed that the terms of the agreement are “no dust, no dollars,” meaning unless Iran gives up its enriched uranium first, it will not get any economic relief. Trump has referred to Iran’s highly-enriched uranium as “nuclear dust.”
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency on Monday disputed reports claiming the United States had conditioned sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian assets on Tehran first transferring its enriched uranium, calling the claim false. Iran insists that a portion of its blocked assets must be released in the first phase and carry no conditions related to nuclear materials.
The Times of Israel reported that Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the potential deal on Saturday evening. An Israeli official on Sunday, speaking about the contents of the call, said that Trump “will not sign a final agreement without” various “conditions being met.” According to the official, “The prime minister emphasized that Israel will preserve its freedom of action against threats in all arenas, including Lebanon, and President Trump reiterated his support for this principle.”
Al Jazeera reported Sunday that Israel is uncomfortable with the current deal and is pushing the U.S. negotiating team to include language allowing Israel to carry out military operations in Lebanon in response to “any threat.” On Sunday morning, Netanyahu posted to X that “President Trump reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against threats on every front, including Lebanon.”
Subscribe Today
Get daily emails in your inbox
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for major escalation of Israel’s bombing and forced displacement campaign in Lebanon, where Israeli strikes have killed at least 3,123 since March 2. “For every explosive drone, 10 buildings must fall in Beirut,” Smotrich posted on Telegram, while Ben Gvir said “we need to cut off the electricity in Lebanon, we need to return to massive combat.”
The Financial Times reported Sunday that the Iran War has caused U.S. government borrowing costs to reach their highest levels since 2007, with the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield rising to 4.58 percent from 4 percent before the conflict began. The elevated yields could add more than $30 billion through the fiscal year 2027, according to FT calculations using Congressional Budget Office models.
The price of Brent Crude oil sank $4.86 to $98.68 a barrel on Monday morning while gas prices lowered slightly. AAA reported the national average price of regular gas at $4.51.
Read the full article here
