Iran’s state media reported that Tehran on Thursday passed an updated proposal to Pakistani mediators for delivery to the United States. No details of the proposal transferred from Iran to Pakistan have been released.
U.S. President Donald Trump was scheduled Thursday to receive a briefing on new plans for possible military action against Iran from the head of U.S. Central Command, Adm. Brad Cooper. According to a report by Axios, U.S. Central Command has prepared a plan for a “short and intense” wave of strikes against Iran — likely to include infrastructure targets — in an effort to break the deadlock in talks, with the aim of bringing Tehran back to the negotiating table with greater flexibility on the nuclear issue.
CENTCOM has also prepared a plan to take control of part of the Strait of Hormuz in order to reopen it to commercial shipping, an operation that could include ground forces. Another option previously discussed and that could be raised in the briefing is a special forces operation to extract about 450 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% that is held by Iran.
Since announcing a ceasefire on April 7, Trump has not appeared eager to resume the war. After threatening to destroy Iranian civilization, he has repeatedly opted for diplomacy, while still seeking to increase economic pressure on Iran’s government to force it to meet his central demand — dismantling its nuclear program.
In a statement read on Iranian state television in the name of Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, he said 90 million Iranians would “defend the Islamic Republic’s nuclear and missile capabilities,” against the backdrop of Trump’s demand. Khamenei also appeared to signal again Iran’s intention to retain control of the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran will make the Persian Gulf region safe and put an end to the hostile enemy’s misuse of this waterway. The legal rules and new management of the Strait of Hormuz will bring prosperity and progress for all the peoples of the region,” he said. Of the United States, he added: “Your only place in the Persian Gulf is at the bottom of the sea.”
In recent weeks, Iran has begun charging transit fees of up to $2 million to ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, even though the world regards it as an international waterway that should be open to all without such fees. Gulf states, led by the United Arab Emirates, have condemned Iran’s actions and accused it of piracy.
Commentators warn that if the war ends with Iran still controlling the strait and profiting economically from transit fees, it would deal a significant blow to efforts to topple the regime.