By Lawrence Agbo
US President Donald Trump has firmly rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at ending the Middle East conflict, describing Tehran’s conditions as “totally unacceptable” and signaling that tensions between both countries may worsen after weeks of diplomatic efforts.
Trump made his position known on Sunday through a brief post on his Truth Social platform after reviewing Iran’s response to Washington’s latest peace proposal. Although he did not reveal the full details of Tehran’s counteroffer, he made it clear that the United States was not satisfied with the terms presented.
“I have just read the response from Iran’s so-called representatives. I don’t like it — TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” Trump wrote.
Iran had earlier responded to the US proposal through Pakistani mediators, while also warning that it would retaliate strongly against any fresh American strikes and would not tolerate additional foreign naval presence in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also maintained a strong position, insisting that talks or negotiations should not be mistaken for weakness or surrender.
“We will never bow down to the enemy, and if there is talk of dialogue or negotiation, it does not mean surrender or retreat,” he said on Sunday.
According to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, Tehran’s response focused on ending the war across all fronts, particularly in Lebanon, where Israel continues military operations against Hezbollah, a group backed by Iran. It also emphasized the importance of securing shipping routes in the Gulf.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, insisted that the war could not truly end unless Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium is removed and its nuclear sites are dismantled.
Speaking in an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Netanyahu said the conflict remains unresolved because Iran still possesses dangerous nuclear material.
“It’s not over, because there’s still nuclear material — enriched uranium — that has to be taken out of Iran. There’s still enrichment sites that have to be dismantled,” he said.
He added that Trump shares the same view regarding the removal of Iran’s uranium reserves.
Trump is also expected to raise the Iran issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Beijing this week, especially because China remains one of the biggest buyers of Iranian oil.
Meanwhile, reports from The Wall Street Journal suggested that Iran had proposed diluting part of its highly enriched uranium and transferring the rest to a third country. Tehran reportedly requested guarantees that the uranium would be returned if negotiations collapsed or if Washington later withdrew from the agreement.
Trump did not address those details in his public rejection.
Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz also remain high. Iran had earlier imposed a blockade on the vital shipping route, causing global oil prices to surge and creating panic in financial markets.
Although Tehran later introduced a payment system for ships crossing the strait, US officials insisted it would be unacceptable for Iran to control such a major international waterway, which handles a large share of the world’s oil supply.
The US Navy has also increased pressure by blockading Iranian ports and intercepting ships moving in and out of the country.
Britain and France are reportedly preparing plans for an international coalition to protect the strait once a peace agreement is reached, but Iran warned both countries against deploying warships there.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said only Iran has the right to guarantee security in the Strait of Hormuz and warned of an immediate and decisive response to any foreign interference.
Fresh drone attacks in the Gulf on Sunday further threatened the fragile ceasefire. The United Arab Emirates said it intercepted two drones launched from Iran, while Kuwait also reported hostile drones entering its airspace.
Qatar’s defence ministry said a cargo vessel arriving from Abu Dhabi was struck by a drone near its waters.
Although no group immediately claimed responsibility, Iranian media reported that the attacked ship was sailing under a US flag.
Iran’s parliament security commission spokesman, Ebrahim Rezaei, later warned that Tehran’s patience had ended.
“Our restraint is over as of today,” he said, adding that any attack on Iranian vessels would trigger a strong response against American ships and military bases.
Iranian state television also reported that military chief Ali Abdollahi had met with the country’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and received fresh directives for continuing operations against what Iran described as “the enemy.”