The entire Middle East is “burning”. Russia reacts after Trump's insult-filled threat to Iran
The Kremlin said on Monday that the war with Iran is intensifying both geographically and in economic impact, and that the entire Middle East region is now “on fire” due to US and Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic, Reuters reports.
In a profanity-laced social media post on Easter Sunday, US President Donald Trump threatened to target Iran's power plants and bridges on Tuesday if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.
Asked by Reuters about Trump's new threats, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was aware of them but that the Kremlin preferred not to comment directly.
“We note that the level of tension in the region is increasing and continues to increase,” Peskov said.
“In fact, the entire region is on fire. These are very dangerous and negative consequences of the aggression launched against Iran,” the Kremlin representative added.
“The geography of this conflict has expanded, and now we are all aware of the consequences we have, including very, very negative consequences for the global economy,” Peskov concluded.
Iran does not want to negotiate with the US under Trump's ultimatums
Iran will not negotiate with the US under ultimatums issued by Donald Trump and has formulated its own positions and demands in response to truce proposals that have been brokered to Tehran, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Monday, an announcement that came amid speculation of talks on a 45-day truce.
“Negotiations are incompatible with ultimatums, crimes or threats to commit war crimes,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Bagaei at a press conference, Reuters, EFE and Agerpres previously reported.
Tehran has a set of demands based on its national interests that have already been brokered, and previous US demands, such as the 15-point plan, have been rejected as “excessive”, the Iranian official said.
“Iran does not hesitate to clearly express what it considers to be its legitimate demands, and this should not be interpreted as a sign of compromise, but rather as a reflection of its confidence in defending its own positions,” the same spokesman explained.
“We have formulated our own answers” and the details will be announced in due course, he added, responding to an Iranian journalist's question about the possibility of a truce between Iran and the US. A truce “would mean a pause for regrouping and rearming to continue the killings,” he added.
“Our demand is the end of this imposed war, along with guarantees that this nefarious cycle will not be repeated,” indicated the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran.
Possible truce of 45 days
According to Axios, the US, Iran and a group of regional mediators are discussing the terms of a possible 45-day truce as a first step towards ending the war waged by the US and Israel against Iran.
The American publication, citing four American, Israeli and regional sources with knowledge of the talks, noted that the negotiations are being conducted through Pakistani, Egyptian and Turkish mediators, as well as through text message exchanges between President Trump's emissary, Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
According to the sources cited, the mediation is focused on fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz and finding a solution to Iran's highly enriched uranium, either by removing it from the country or by diluting it, which are key conditions set by the US and Israel for a deal.
Trump threatened Iran to unleash “hell” on the country if it does not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8:00 p.m. Washington time (00:00 GMT Wednesday), in his latest ultimatum to Tehran.
“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day and Bridge Day, all rolled into one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it! Open the damn straits, you wretched lunatics, or live in hell,” the US president wrote in a message on Truth Social.
