On Saturday, May 2nd, US President Trump (Donald Trump) stated that he will soon review the new proposal submitted by Iran, but he “cannot imagine this plan being accepted.”
In a post on the “Truth Social” platform on Saturday evening, the President said, “I will soon review the proposal that Iran has just sent to us, but I believe this plan will not be accepted because over the past 47 years, Iran has not paid enough for the crimes they have committed against humanity and the world.”
Iran’s official media reported on Saturday that Iran had submitted a proposal containing 14 points to the United States.
Shortly before the post, Trump told reporters at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida, as he boarded Air Force One, that he was discussing a potential agreement with Iran and would review the “exact wording” of Iran’s proposal on Air Force One en route to Miami.
“They introduced me to the concept of the agreement. They will now give me the exact wording,” Trump said. “We are making progress on the Iran issue. They also want to reach an agreement. They have been destroyed.”
“…If we withdraw now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild,” he continued. “But we are not withdrawing now. We are doing this to ensure that in two or five years, no one (US military) needs to return to Iran.”
Trump added that it is “difficult to determine who their leaders are” in the Iranian regime. He also mentioned that the US could potentially resume military strikes against Iranian targets.
According to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, Iran’s proposal was submitted through a mediation approach by Pakistan, calling for “ending all fronts of war, including Lebanon.”
Tasnim News Agency reported that while the US proposed a ceasefire for two months, Iran believed that “the issue should be resolved within 30 days.” The focus of the negotiations should be on “ending the war” rather than extending the ceasefire period. Iran’s response also included unfreezing Iranian frozen assets, lifting sanctions, and calling for the establishment of a new mechanism in the Strait of Hormuz.
On Saturday, the White House confirmed that a new member has joined the US team as an advisor.
White House spokesperson Olivia Wales stated in a release, “Nick Stewart is a savvy and experienced policy expert who is a valuable asset to Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s excellent team. He previously served in the State Department in the Trump administration’s first term and worked on Capitol Hill, bringing with him rich leadership experience and expertise in Iran policy. Special Envoy Witkoff and President Trump, along with the entire national security team, are closely collaborating to achieve an agreement beneficial to the United States and the world, and Stewart’s opinions are reliable.”
According to US officials who spoke to CBS News, Stewart was hired by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. He had previously worked for the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy’s lobbying arm, a hawkish organization known for strongly supporting military action against Iran.
Chairman of the House Oversight Committee and Republican Congressman from Kentucky, James Comer, in an interview on Fox News’ “The Big Weekend Show”, stated that while both party leaders recognized the threat posed by Iran in the last twenty years, Trump is the “first president with the courage to take action.”
Comer stated that the ultimate goal is to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, but he acknowledged the severity of the situation due to Iran’s history of unreliability.
Earlier on Saturday, US Central Command Commander, Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, visited the USS Tripoli amphibious assault ship located in the Arabian Sea to talk to sailors and Navy Marines and meet them.
Central Command posted photos of Cooper’s visit on its official X account, stating that Admiral Cooper “interacted with the sailors, commended standout performers, and visited various areas of this amphibious assault ship, including the Combat Information Center.”
Currently, the US and Iran are in a ceasefire state, but the US continues to block ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports. The US military’s blockade has had a significant impact on the Iranian economy, especially the oil industry.
Comer pointed out that given the urgent need to replenish the military reserves for actions against Iran, the White House must garner support from both parties.
“I find it hard to believe that Democratics are so vocal in support of Ukraine but oppose taking any measures to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons,” Comer stated.
He urged the Trump administration to negotiate with “level-headed Democrats” to reach a funding agreement.
When asked if the US should implement a blockade to cut off Iran’s oil supply, Comer warned against escalating the situation to the point of requiring US military intervention.
“Deploying troops to Iran is both dangerous and expensive,” Comer cautioned.