World mocks bizarre kind of victory: White House declares triumph despite Iran being emboldened and demanding tolls on the still-closed Strait - as attacks continue on Gulf states and Lebanon
Donald Trump's peace deal with Iran was hanging by a thread on Wednesday night as Tehran halted tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. It warned that unauthorised ships would be 'targeted and destroyed'. As the White House declared a dramatic and decisive victory in the Middle East, it remained unclear who controlled the vital waterway, through which 20 per cent of the world's oil and gas is transported.Iranian officials said oil tankers using the Strait would have to pay tolls in cryptocurrency of $1 per barrel, potentially amounting to £2.2million per ship. State media also reported the ceasefire would fail if Israel continued attacking Lebanon, home to Iranian terrorist proxy Hezbollah. Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte (pictured left) and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (right) shared a laugh on Wednesday Iranians burn US and Israeli flags at a protest in Enghelab Square, Tehran, following the announcement of a two-week ceasefireMr Trump insisted that Lebanon was not part of the peace deal, describing its conflict with Israel as a 'separate skirmish'. It came as: Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the President's son-in-law, will begin in-person peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday;US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the US had won a 'capital-V military victory';Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu said he was prepared to return to fighting at any moment, adding his 'finger is on the trigger';Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was 'relieved' that fighting had paused, but said there was still 'work to do';Mr Trump was preparing to discuss a US exit from Nato, accusing allies of 'turning their backs' on America.Despite the apparent ceasefire, Saudi Arabia's vital oil pipeline carrying crude from the Gulf to the Red Sea was hit by an Iranian drone while the United Arab Emirates said their air defences engaged 17 missiles and 35 drones.On Wednesday night, White House spokesman Karoline Leavitt said the Vice President would lead the negotiating team to meet Iran's new leaders in Islamabad on Saturday.'Thanks to the unmatched excellence of our warriors, at the direction of the Commander in Chief [the President], the world has just witnessed a historically swift and successful military triumph,' she said. 'The US military destroyed Iran's defence-industrial base, crushing the regime's ability to manufacture weapons that they and their proxies use to maim and kill Americans and terrorise the world.'The ceasefire came less than 12 hours after Mr Trump threatened 'a whole civilisation will die' if Iran did not agree to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz.In the early hours of Wednesday, Iran offered a ten-point peace plan that would have given it compensation, full control of the Strait and the right to continue enriching uranium for nuclear weapons. But Ms Leavitt said the plan was 'fundamentally unserious, unacceptable and completely discarded'. Iran and the USA agreed to the two-week truce to halt military operations and keep the Strait of Hormuz open for oil and gas shipments, with formal peace talks set to begin in Islamabad on Friday Donald Trump insisted that Lebanon was not part of the peace deal, describing its conflict with Israel as a 'separate skirmish'
'It was literally thrown in the garbage by President Trump and his negotiating team,' she said. 'The idea that President Trump would ever accept an Iranian wish list as a deal is completely absurd. 'With the President's deadline fast approaching and United States military completely decimating Iran with each passing hour, the [Iranian] regime acknowledged reality and put forward a more reasonable and entirely different plan. 'President Trump and the team determined the new modified plan was a workable basis on which to negotiate.' Mr Vance on Wednesday night suggested the Iranians had submitted three different ten-point proposals. In a separate press conference on Wednesday, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Iran's enriched uranium was being 'watched 24/7'. 'They know this agreement means that they will never, ever possess a nuclear weapon,' he said. 'Any nuclear material they have will be removed.'Their [uranium] dust is deeply buried and watched 24/7 overhead. They'll give it to us voluntarily, or if we have to do something to take it ourselves. The President has been clear from the beginning – there will be no Iranian nuclear weapons.' He added: 'Iran begged for this ceasefire, and we all know it. Operation Epic Fury was a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield, a capital V military victory. Epic Fury decimated Iran's military and rendered it combat ineffective for years to come.' Mr Vance said Tehran's negotiators thought the ceasefire agreed included Lebanon but America 'never made that promise'. While the terms of the deal have not been spelt out, Hamid Hosseini of Iran's Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters' Union, said his country would assess each tanker passing the Strait of Hormuz and collect tolls.'Iran needs to monitor what goes in and out of the strait to ensure these two weeks aren't used for transferring weapons,' he told the FT. 'The procedure will take time and Iran is not in a rush.'He said tanker captains would have to email details of what they are carrying, adding: 'Once Iran completes its assessment, vessels are given a few seconds to pay in Bitcoin.'Meanwhile, Mr Trump was meeting Nato chief Mark Rutte on Wednesday night and preparing to discuss a US departure from the alliance. He has described it as 'not a very good arrangement' for America, and on Monday said he was 'very disappointed' that allies including Britain and Spain failed to back the US in Iran.'I think it's a mark on Nato that will never disappear,' he said. The Wall Street Journal reported he was considering punishing certain Nato states by moving US troops out of those countries.Keir Starmer warned on Wednesday: 'There's a lot of work to do to make sure the ceasefire becomes permanent and brings about the peace that we all want to see.'Sir Keir, who is in Saudi Arabia to discuss options for peace in the region, dodged questions about the status of his battered relationship with Donald Trump. Mr Netanyahu said: 'Iran is weaker than ever, and Israel is stronger than ever. We have more goals to complete – and we will achieve them either by agreement or by resuming fighting. The finger is on the trigger.' It was reported senior figures close to Mr Trump, particularly Mr Vance, tried to dissuade him from attacking Iran. The New York Times said Mr Netanyahu gave an hour-long presentation at the White House on February 11, pushing for a full-scale invasion. It is claimed CIA director John Ratcliffe later told Mr Trump the proposals were 'farcical' while Secretary of State Marco Rubio branded them 'bulls***'. Mr Vance reportedly urged the President to abide by his campaign promise of 'no new wars'.
