U.S. demands Iran halt nuclear enrichment for 20-years

President Donald Trump announced “major combat operations” against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military and government sites.

Trump set a deadline for Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face broad strikes on its critical infrastructure. Hours before the deadline expired, Trump said he had agreed to suspend planned bombing for two weeks if Iran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

During talks in Pakistan, the U.S. asked Iran to agree not to enrich uranium for 20 years, according to people familiar with the matter, softening previous demands concerning Tehran’s nuclear program. The U.S. worries nuclear enrichment gives Tehran a path toward a nuclear weapon.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said he had shown “flexibility” with Iran, who rejected his offer of a nuclear deal to end the war. The U.S. has previously demanded that Iran permanently give up the right to enrich uranium domestically and rely on foreign imports of the material. The 20-year moratorium would have come with sanctions relief for Iran, said one of the people.

But subsequent U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan failed to reach a peace deal. Trump said that Iran’s nuclear program was the key sticking point and said the U.S. would respond with a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz starting at 10 a.m. ET on Monday.

Israel, meanwhile, has continued ground operations and intense strikes in Lebanon, where it is engaged with the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he supported the ceasefire with Iran, but that Lebanon was not covered by the agreement, despite Iranian protests.

Also Read: Iran seeks $270b as war reparation from US, Israel

In another development, President Donald Trump said that another round of peace talks with Iran in Islamabad could be happening “over the next two days,” during a phone interview with the New York Post on Tuesday.

The president initially said discussions for future peace talks were “happening,” but a “little bit slow” and suggested that Europe could be the location for a second round of face-to-face negotiations, according to the Post.

The Post said that the president then later called the reporter back with an update advising them to stay in Islamabad.

“You should stay there, really, because something could be happening over the next two days, and we’re more inclined to go there,” Trump said, according to the Post.

“It’s more likely, you know why? Because the field marshal is doing a great job,” he said, according to the Post, referring to Pakistan’s Army Chief and Field Marshal Asim Munir.

ABC NEWS