US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s response to American proposals aimed at ending the ongoing war, describing Tehran’s position as “totally unacceptable,” according to the BBC.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran’s proposal, delivered through Pakistan as a mediator, called for an immediate end to the conflict on all fronts, the lifting of the US naval blockade on Iranian ports, and guarantees against further attacks on Iran.
A ceasefire introduced to support negotiations between Iran, the US and Israel has largely held despite occasional exchanges of fire. Earlier this week, Trump insisted the war would be “over quickly.”
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium must be removed before the conflict can truly end.
“There’s still enrichment sites that have to be dismantled,” Netanyahu said during an interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes.
Iranian state media said Tehran’s proposal also demanded compensation for war damage and recognition of Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking on Sunday, said Iran would never “bow” to its enemies, stressing that dialogue should not be seen as surrender.
Trump later wrote on Truth Social: “I have just read the response from Iran’s so-called ‘Representatives.’ I don’t like it – TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.”
According to Axios, a 14-point US proposal includes suspending Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme, easing sanctions, and restoring free passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The report cited unnamed US officials familiar with the negotiations.
Iran has continued restricting movement through the strategic waterway, causing global oil prices to rise. About 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes through the strait.
The US has meanwhile intensified pressure on Tehran through a blockade of Iranian ports, a move Iran strongly opposes.
Israeli and US forces launched major air strikes on Iran on February 28, while a ceasefire came into effect last month.
In the CBS interview, Netanyahu also suggested reducing Israel’s dependence on US military aid, saying the country should gradually move away from American financial support over the next decade.
Iran has also warned neighbouring countries against complying with US sanctions. Military spokesman Mohammad Akraminia warned that vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz could face “severe consequences” if they failed to cooperate with Tehran.
The US maintains military bases across the Gulf region, including in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman.
Britain recently announced plans to deploy a Royal Navy warship to the Middle East as part of a proposed international mission to protect shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz after hostilities end.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are backing the initiative, although Macron clarified that France had not planned a direct naval deployment.
Iran responded by warning of a “decisive and immediate response” to any British or French military presence in the strait.
Tensions have also spread across the Gulf region. Kuwait reported unidentified drones entering its airspace, while the UAE said it intercepted two drones launched from Iran.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre also reported that a commercial vessel near Qatar was struck by an unknown projectile, causing a small fire but no casualties.
Defence ministers from more than 40 countries are expected to meet on Monday to discuss UK-led plans to secure maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz once fighting subsides.
Earlier this month, Trump warned on Truth Social that if Iran failed to agree to a deal, “the bombing starts,” adding that future attacks would be at a “much higher level and intensity.”
