
Trump to Iran: End Proxy Wars for Nuke Deal; Mixed Responses from Tehran
A war of words erupted between Washington and Tehran on Wednesday, May 14, as US President Donald Trump, during his Gulf tour, issued a stern ultimatum to Iran: cease its support for proxy groups throughout the Middle East and verifiably halt its nuclear weapons program as preconditions for any potential agreement.
The demand was met with immediate and forceful rejection from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who referred to the US President as a “bully”. Speaking at a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) meeting in Riyadh, hosted by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, President Trump made his conditions clear.
Iran "must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars and permanently and verifiably cease pursuit of nuclear weapons," Trump declared to the assembled GCC leaders, as quoted by media. "They cannot have a nuclear weapon."
In a swift rebuttal broadcast live on state television Wednesday, Pezeshkian fired back at Trump's assertions. "He (Trump) thinks he can come here, chant slogans, and scare us. For us, martyrdom is far sweeter than dying in bed. You came to frighten us? We will not bow to any bully," Pezeshkian stated, as quoted by British media.
However, Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said that Tehran would commit to never making nuclear weapons, getting rid of its stockpiles of highly-enriched uranium, agree to only enrich uranium to the lower levels needed for civilian use, and allow international inspectors to supervise the process, according to American media. (INN/VFI News)
“Dear Lord, we pray that You would dismantle Iran’s nuclear capabilities as soon as possible. We pray that You work on the Iranian leaders’ hearts and cause them to stop enriching uranium and creating nuclear weapons. In Yeshua's Name, we pray that You take care of everything and help the Middle East be a safe place.”