WASHINGTON, May 18: US President Donald Trump, who is known to have made provocative statements since February 28 when he launched an attack on Iran, escalated rhetorical tensions with Iran on Monday by sharing a map of West Asia on Truth Social featuring an American flag overlay and red arrows directed toward Iran from multiple directions,a post that drew widespread attention hours after he issued a stark warning to Tehran.
Though no context was provided, the visual was widely read as a message of strategic pressure, with multiple red arrows converging on Iran, implying the encirclement of Tehran.
The provocative image followed a message Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday, in which he wrote: “For Iran, the clock is ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!”
The warning came as a US-backed peace proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict remained stalled, with no signs of a diplomatic breakthrough.
Trump’s posts came shortly after a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday evening, according to reports by The Times of Israel. The two leaders reportedly discussed the possibility of renewed military action against Iran, alongside Trump’s recent visit to China.
The conflict, which began on February 28 following joint US-Israeli military strikes on sites inside Iran, has been held together by a fragile ceasefire in place since April 7. However, broader peace negotiations have reportedly failed to make meaningful progress.
The war has also triggered an effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global chokepoint through which roughly 20 per cent of the world’s oil exports passed in peacetime.
The first round of negotiations on April 12 between Iran and the US in Pakistan failed to reach an agreement, and after that, more proposals were exchanged between both the US and Iran via Pakistan, which has been playing the role of mediator.
On Sunday, May 17, the United States presented Iran with a new five-point proposal aimed at ending hostilities and reviving negotiations, Iranian media reported, amid continuing tensions over Tehran’s nuclear programme and regional security issues.
According to the IRGC-linked Fars News Agency, Washington’s conditions include Iran giving up demands for war reparations and compensation from the US, transferring 400 kilograms of enriched uranium to American custody, and accepting restrictions on its nuclear infrastructure.
The report said only one Iranian nuclear facility would be permitted to continue operations under the proposed framework. The US has also reportedly rejected Tehran’s request for the unfreezing of 25 per cent of its blocked foreign assets.
Under the proposal, any permanent halt to military action would depend on the outcome of negotiations and Iran’s acceptance of the terms, the report added.
The development follows reports on Friday by the Tehran Times that Washington had rejected Iran’s earlier 14-point peace initiative. US President Donald Trump had described Tehran’s response to previous American proposals as “completely unacceptable.”
Iranian media also claimed that the threat of renewed US and Israeli military action against Iran would remain even if Tehran accepted all the demands.
The latest exchange comes months after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian targets on February 28, causing significant damage and civilian casualties.
Trump subsequently extended the truce period to allow further diplomatic engagement and to give Tehran time to submit what he called a “unified proposal.”
On April 17, Trump said Washington intended to work jointly with Tehran to remove enriched uranium from Iran and transport it to the United States. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei later rejected the idea, saying Iran had no intention of exporting enriched uranium to the US or any other country.
Iran’s own conditions for negotiations include a complete halt to the wars involving Lebanon and Iran, sanctions relief, release of frozen assets, compensation for war damages, and US recognition of Tehran’s authority over the Strait of Hormuz.
The two sides remain far apart on core demands: Washington has called on Tehran to restrict its nuclear activity to a single facility. Tehran has insisted that sanctions be lifted, overseas assets released, and all military operations across the region halted before further talks can resume.
Iran has also issued a stark warning of its own, cautioning that the Gulf of Oman could become a “graveyard” for ships should the US blockade continue.
(UNI)
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