Middle East crisis live: Trump set to give prime-time address amid widening economic fallout from Iran war

Trending 2 months ago

Key events

Show cardinal events only

Please move connected JavaScript to usage this feature

The New York Times has reported that US intelligence agencies judge Iran is not presently consenting to prosecute successful negotiations to extremity nan war, and that contempt nan month-long bombing run by nan US and Israel, nan authorities successful Tehran believes it remains successful a beardown position.

According to officials speaking to nan NYT, Iran doesn’t spot nan US aliases judge Donald Trump is superior astir negotiations.

The existent conflict was launched while Iran was locked successful negotiations pinch US officials complete its atomic programme. Last year, Israel launched attacks connected Iranian atomic targets, again while nan US was engaged successful discussions pinch Tehran.

On Wednesday, Iran rejected Donald Trump’s declare that its activity asked for a ceasefire, calling nan US president’s connection “false” and “baseless”.

Tehran has many times said location are nary ongoing negotiations to extremity nan war. The country’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has antecedently said Iran had nan “necessary will” for a ceasefire, but only if its foes guaranteed hostilities would not resume.

Trump preparing to make first nationalist reside since launching Iran warfare a period ago

Donald Trump is 50 minutes distant from delivering his first general reside from nan White House since launching nan warfare successful nan Middle East a period ago.

It comes astatine a pivotal infinitesimal for nan US president, arsenic he faces accusations that he has mislaid power of nan conflict and will not beryllium capable to execute nan cardinal intends of nan war.

Trump has continued to declare that nan US has already won nan war, and has refused to return work for nan economical fallout that has dispersed crossed nan world.

In his speech, nan president will springiness an operational update connected nan advancement of Operation Epic Fury, while highlighting nan military’s “success successful achieving each of its stated goals”, a US charismatic has said.

Donald Trump connected nan steps of nan White House connected Wednesday.
Donald Trump connected nan steps of nan White House connected Wednesday. Photograph: Shawn Thew/UPI/Shutterstock

He is expected to reiterate nan 2-3 week timetable for concluding nan operation, but crucially is not expected to announced an extremity to nan war.

Recent polling shows Trump’s overall support rating slipping beneath 40%, pinch disapproval climbing supra nan mid-50s arsenic voters sour connected some nan warfare and its economical fallout, while support for nan Iran run itself polls moreover lower.

The economical image has compounded nan problem. US petrol prices person surged supra $4 a gallon for nan first clip successful years, while user assurance has weakened, dragging down Trump’s already vulnerable opinionated connected nan economy.

Opening summary

Welcome to our continuing sum of nan situation successful nan Middle East, arsenic Donald Trump prepares to reside America for nan first clip since nan US-Israel warfare connected Iran was launched.

The president will present nan prime-time reside astatine 9pm ET from nan White House.

The reside comes arsenic his management faces plunging support ratings, economic jitters and a spiralling negotiated fallout. Trump is expected to effort and reassure nan federation that US goals are being met and that he has a scheme for completing nan war, which has roiled nan US economy.

Earlier Wednesday, Trump claimed a awesome breakthrough, saying Iran’s president was seeking a ceasefire. This was swiftly denied by Iran’s overseas ministry, which besides accused Washington of making “maximalist and irrational” demands.

Here’s what other has been happening today:

  • Iran has rejected Donald Trump’s declare that its activity asked for a ceasefire, calling nan US president’s connection “false” and “baseless”. Trump made nan declare successful a station connected Truth Social, which said: “Iran’s New Regime President, overmuch little Radicalized and acold much intelligent than his predecessors, has conscionable asked nan United States of America for a CEASEFIRE! We will see erstwhile Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, arsenic they say, backmost to nan Stone Ages!!!”

  • Trump besides said he is “absolutely” considering withdrawing nan US from Nato, informing that nan matter was “beyond reconsideration” aft nan refusal of US friends to subordinate nan US-Israeli warfare against Iran. The president’s threats, his astir wished to date, person near nan confederation facing its worst situation successful its 77-year history, a erstwhile US ambassador has said. Here’s our story.

  • Meanwhile, successful an unfastened missive to nan American people, Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian said relations betwixt Washington and Tehran were “misunderstood” and that Iran was not an aggressor. The Iranian “harbor nary enmity toward different nations, including nan group of America, Europe, aliases neighbouring countries,” he said, adding that portrayals of Iran arsenic a information threat were inaccurate, and Tehran was acting successful self-defence – not aggression.

  • In Tehran, Kamal Kharazi, a apical overseas argumentation charismatic and erstwhile Iranian overseas minister, has been severely injured successful an airstrike connected his location successful nan Iranian capital. His woman was reportedly killed successful nan attack. Kharazi, considered a mean leader and seasoned argumentation expert, besides served arsenic an advisor to nan assassinated erstwhile ultimate leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Reports suggest his targeting is being viewed arsenic an effort to derail diplomacy.

More
Source theguardian.com
theguardian.com