Trump blasts Obama over Iran nuclear deal as his peace negotiations fail again
Before dismissing Iran's response to the White House's peace proposal, President Donald Trump blasted his predecessor, Barack Obama, over the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran, and the settlement of a Carter-era arms deal that fell through decades ago. Trump called the former president the "greatest SUCKER" of whom Iranians took advantage of to get "$1.7 billion" in "green cash". Hours later, his own peace negotiations to end the ongoing hostilities in the Iran war seemingly fell apart as he declared Tehran's response to his peace proposal "totally unacceptable".
Taking to Truth Social Sunday afternoon, Trump alleged that “Iran has been playing games with the United States, and the rest of the world” for 47 years, and that they finally hit "pay dirt" when Obama became the president. “He was not only good to them, but he was great, actually going to their side, jettisoning Israel, and all other allies, and giving Iran a major and very powerful new lease on life,” Trump wrote, seemingly referring to the now-defunct nuclear deal that Obama negotiated alongside the European Union, France, China, Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom.
He then went on to tear into the settlement deal that Obama made with Tehran, paying the $1.7 billion. Trump alleged that the former president offered billions in "green cash" to Tehran on a "silver platter" in 2016, and it was so much money that the "Iranian Thugs had no idea what to do with it" when it was offloaded from the planes in "suitcases and satchels". Trump was referring to a settlement for a $400 million arms deal that fell apart in the 1970s during the Iranian Revolution. According to official documents, the payment comprised the initial $400 million payment and $1.3 billion in interest.
Continuing his rant, Trump said Iran “finally found the greatest SUCKER of them all, in the form of a weak and stupid American President," and called Obama a "disaster" but "not as bad as Sleepy Joe Biden". In the end, Trump accused Iran of keeping the U.S. waiting while " killing our people with their roadside bombs, destroying protests,” and of "laughing" at the country. “They will be laughing no longer!” Trump concluded.
The lengthy rant came hours before the President declined Iran's response to his peace framework to end hostilities in the war. "I have just read the response from Iran’s so-called 'Representatives.' I don’t like it — TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. Iran responded to Trump's proposal on May 10, and it included a demand for compensation for war damages and emphasis on Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial shipping lane which was choked by Tehran since the start of the war, USA Today reported, citing Iran's IRNA news agency. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian appeared to reference the proposal in a post on X on Sunday as well, which, upon translation, reads, We will never bow our heads before the enemy, and if talk of dialogue or negotiation arises, it does not mean surrender or retreat."
Tehran sent its response via Pakistan, which has served as a mediator between the two sides, as the month-long ceasefire between the two countries appears to be barely holding. Following the response from Trump, global oil markets responded negatively as the international oil benchmark Brent rose by 3.8% to $105.20/barrel, according to the BBC.
