'Totally unacceptable': Trump fumes as Iran rejects US peace proposal, makes more demands

After Iran issued a formal response to the latest U.S. peace proposal for ending the war, President Donald Trump said he rejected the Iranian reply, calling it “totally unacceptable.” 

On Sunday, reports said Iran had sent a response to the U.S. proposal via Pakistan, with Iranian media claiming it focused on Tehran's demands for ending the war on all fronts, including Israel’s operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, and ending the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. 

According to Iran-affiliated Tasnim News, the regime called for an immediate end to the war, a long-term ceasefire in Lebanon, a complete lifting of all U.S. sanctions, the release of frozen regime assets and unrestricted Iranian oil exports. The regime also demanded full control of the Strait of Hormuz. 

“I have just read the response from Iran’s so-called ‘Representatives,’ Trump posted on Truth Social. “I don’t like it – TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.” 

In another post, berating former U.S. President Barack Obama for giving Iran “suitcases” of cash, Trump said Iran was “laughing at our now GREAT AGAIN Country. They will be laughing no longer!” 

“Iran has been playing games with the United States, and the rest of the World, for 47 years (DELAY, DELAY, DELAY!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. 

“For 47 years, the Iranians have been ‘tapping’ us along, keeping us waiting, killing our people with their roadside bombs, destroying protests, and recently wiping out 42,000 innocent, unarmed protestors, and laughing at our now GREAT AGAIN Country. They will be laughing no longer!” he continued. 

According to The Wall Street Journal, Iran indicated it was open to discussing a suspension of uranium enrichment, though for a period shorter than the 20 years demanded by the United States. The regime also reportedly expressed willingness to transfer its enriched uranium stockpile to a third party, while insisting the material be returned if Washington failed to uphold its side of any agreement

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian took a defiant stance on Sunday, writing on 𝕏, “We will never bow our heads before the enemy, and if talk of dialogue or negotiation arises, it does not mean surrender or retreat.” 

President Trump announced a ceasefire last month to facilitate negotiations aimed at ending the conflict and preventing the Islamic Republic from obtaining a nuclear weapons capability. However, following the latest exchange and Trump’s rejection of Iran’s counterproposal, the status of the ceasefire remains unclear.

Over the past week, Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar, have reported attacks in or near their territory. The Iranian regime has officially denied being behind the attacks. 

At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that Israel is prepared to resume fighting, saying, “There’s work to be done.”  

Iranian parliament member Kamran Ghazanfari voiced the view of some in the Iranian establishment, calling negotiations with the U.S. harmful in an interview with Iranian media.

"Every time they went to negotiate, the enemy, instead of reducing sanctions, added several new sanctions to the previous ones. Negotiating under the shadow of threats means giving in to the enemy's threats,” he said. 

While the exact details of the U.S. proposal were not published, Trump has repeatedly said Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon and indicated he would seek the removal of all enriched uranium from the Islamic Republic. 

Ghazanfari said the U.S. was demanding that Iran “completely abandon enrichment and completely shut it down.”

He added that the Islamic Republic “will not bow to these illegitimate US demands,” and accused Washington of planning to seize several of Iran’s southern islands.

“Evidence and clues show that they are planning a large-scale operation,” he said. “They probably intend to seize some of our islands in the south.”