DUBAI, 2 Jun (Reuters) – Iran is examining a proposed agreement with the United States to halt the war between the two countries, Mehr News Agency reported on Tuesday, after U.S. President Donald Trump said that negotiations toward a deal were underway.
More than three months after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran, the conflict is at an impasse, while indirect talks to negotiate a provisional agreement have proven inconclusive, leaving the Strait of Hormuz virtually closed.
Iran had not yet responded to a draft final text of the temporary agreement and was adopting a ‘hard’ approach, given what it sees as a history of U.S. noncompliance and long-standing distrust, Mehr said, citing a source.
Trump said on Monday that negotiations with Iran were continuing and that there would be an agreement to extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz next week.
Since mid-March, Trump has repeatedly said that he is close to signing a peace agreement. A ceasefire has largely held since early April, although Iran and the United States have exchanged attacks several times last week.
Oil prices fell more than 1% on Tuesday, easing the sharp gains from the previous day, though a senior official at the International Energy Agency warned that global oil stocks could reach historically low levels.
ISRAEL MAINTAINS ATTACKS IN LEBANON
The war that began on February 28 has killed thousands of people, mainly in Iran and Lebanon. It has caused global economic hardship by pushing energy prices higher since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, which previously transported about a fifth of global supplies of oil and liquefied natural gas.
It has also triggered the latest round of clashes between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, with Israel carrying out its deepest incursion into Lebanon in 25 years.
Israel kept up attacks in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, according to Lebanese security sources, a day after U.S. mediation appeared to have prevented any new escalation of this war.
A partial ceasefire announced by Lebanon on Monday would require Israel to abstain from attacks on Beirut and the Hezbollah-controlled suburbs of the Lebanese capital, while the Iran-aligned group would halt its attacks on Israel.
Lebanon said it would seek to broaden the ceasefire in talks with Israel in Washington on Wednesday.
