Trump Rejects Iran’s Response to U.S. Ceasefire Proposal Via Pakistani Mediators

Iran sent its response to a U.S. proposal to end the war via Pakistani mediators, with the Iranian state news agency IRNA saying the first stage would focus on ending hostilities and ensuring “maritime security” in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

“Trump says Iran's response to U”

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U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the reply on Truth Social, writing, “I don’t like it — TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” and later accusing Iran of “playing games”.

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The U.S. proposal, sent earlier this week, required Iran to agree not to develop a nuclear weapon and stop all uranium enrichment for at least 12 years, and to hand over its estimated 440kg (970lb) stock of uranium enriched to 60 percent.

In return, the U.S. would gradually lift sanctions, release billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets and halt its naval blockade of Iranian ports, while the ceasefire in place since April 8 remained under strain as the Strait of Hormuz saw exchanges of fire.

Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder in Islamabad said Pakistan was pushing Iran to “come to a middle ground” in negotiations as the extended blockade’s impact reached “the world economy, especially in Pakistan.”

Axios reported that Trump told the outlet in a short phone call on Sunday, “I don't like their letter. It's inappropriate. I don't like their response,” after the U.S. waited 10 days for Iran’s response.

Axios also said Iranian state media reported the response focused on ending the war and enshrining guarantees it won’t resume, while Tasnim news agency reported Iran demanded an immediate end to the U.S. naval blockade upon signing and insisted on lifting sanctions related to Iranian oil sales during a 30-day window.

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The BBC reported that Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said Tehran’s proposal included an immediate end to the war on all fronts, a halt to the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, and guarantees of no further attacks on Iran.

The BBC added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium must be “taken out” before the war against Iran can be considered over, and it quoted Netanyahu on CBS’s 60 Minutes.

In a separate account, the Washington Post said Trump called Iran’s response “totally unacceptable” hours after Tehran said, according to state media, it sent the response through Pakistani mediators as the ceasefire was tested around the Strait of Hormuz.

The PBS/AP report said the fragile ceasefire was tested when a drone ignited a small fire on a ship off Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait reported drones entering their airspace, with the UAE saying it shot down two drones and blamed Iran.

The same report said the U.S. military has blockaded Iranian ports since April 13, turning back 61 commercial vessels and disabling four, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy said any attack on Iranian oil tankers or commercial vessels would be met with a “heavy assault” on U.S. bases in the region and enemy ships.

The BBC reported that Netanyahu said there were “still enrichment sites that have to be dismantled,” and it quoted him on CBS’s 60 Minutes as saying the war was not over because enriched uranium still had to be taken out of Iran.

The Al Jazeera report said Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker and lead negotiator, said a full ceasefire could only work if the U.S. naval blockade was lifted, and it noted Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to all foreign shipping and captured several foreign-flagged ships.

Looking ahead, Al Jazeera said the “next few days will be critical” and would depend on how favourably the U.S. responds to Iran’s response, as Abbas Aslani said Iran’s answer was not a “yes or no response” but a clarification of Iranian views on the U.S. text.