Positive outlook

IT is a matter of satisfaction that despite rhetoric, both the United States and Iran see a positive outcome of their diplomatic engagement courtesy Pakistan. US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he believed a deal with Iran was “very possible”, but threatened to resume his bombardment of the country if negotiations fell apart. In his social media post, he said they had very good talks over the last 24 hours and that if “Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to”, the war would be over, but if not, the bombing would resume “at a much higher level and intensity”. Meanwhile, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman told local media that the “US plan and proposal are still under review” and that Tehran would convey its position to mediator Pakistan “after finalizing its views”. The positive outlook of the diplomatic front is encouraging as provocative acts are also continuing, which are being seen with concern by the global community. The US military said a US Navy warplane on Wednesday fired on and disabled the rudder of an oil tanker that tried to break Washington’s blockade of Iranian ports. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker who has taken the lead in negotiations with the US, warned that Washington is seeking, through a naval blockade, economic pressure and media manipulation, to destroy the country’s cohesion in order to force us to surrender. However, hard hitting statements notwithstanding, US news outlet Axios, citing two US officials, reported that both sides were close to agreeing on a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations. In his remarks to PBS, Trump insisted Iran would hand over its enriched uranium to the US, without explaining how this key point of contention would be resolved. Trump’s more conciliatory tone came hours after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US had completed its offensive operations against Iran. If implemented in letter and in spirit, t