US President Donald Trump plans to give the Iranians a limited timeframe to come up with a unified proposal to bring diplomatic negotiations back on track, two sources familiar with the internal discussions tell CNN.
The broadcaster adds that it is not immediately clear if Trump’s message reached Iran.
The administration does not want to indefinitely extend the ceasefire, the sources say, and does not want to give Iran time to drag out talks further.
They add that Trump was wary of extending the initial ceasefire beyond the Wednesday deadline and wants a deal finalised as soon as possible. Trump hoped the pressure of a deadline would force the Iranians to the table before the ceasefire expired.
Trump’s decision to give Tehran more time to present a “unified proposal,” as he characterised it, reflects the administration’s desire to settle the war diplomatically, as well as its reticence to resume kinetic strikes, the sources say.
In the meantime, Trump believes the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will keep pressure on the Iranians while negotiations play out, but there is acknowledgement among his team that the longer the blockade persists, the greater the damage to the world economy, the sources add.
