US President Donald Trump on 17 May urged Iran to “hurry up”, threatening serious consequences.
“Time is running out for Iran and they better start acting fast or there will be nothing left of them. Time is of the essence,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Trump’s comments came after Iranian media reported that the US offered no concessions in its latest response to a proposal Tehran had conveyed to Washington via Pakistan to end the war.
While there was no official comment from Iranian authorities, the state-run Mehr news agency said the US wanted “concessions that were not achieved during the war”, adding that this could be an obstacle to a negotiated deal.
Earlier on 17 May, citing Israeli officials, Axios reported that Trump had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has openly stated his refusal to make any compromises with Tehran until the core issues of the conflict are resolved.
In a separate report, Axios noted that the US president is expected to meet with the country’s top security officials next week to discuss military options.
On 28 February, the US and Israel launched a joint military campaign against Iran to, among other things, limit the country’s nuclear and ballistic capabilities.
In response, Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil trade used to pass, causing a sharp rise in market prices. The issue has since become central to resolving the conflict.
Islamabad has been mediating since the truce between Iran and the US took effect in early April. Islamabad hosted a round of talks between senior officials from Washington and Tehran, but it was inconclusive.
Trump said “time is running out for Iran” and it” had better start acting quickly”