Trump Says U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Is on Massive Life Support After Rejecting Tehran Proposal

President Donald Trump said Monday that the U.S. ceasefire with Iran is on “massive life support” after he rejected Tehran’s latest proposal to end hostilities.

Trump told reporters, “I would say the ceasefire is on massive life support, where the doctor walks in and says, ‘Sir, your loved one has approximately a 1% chance of living.'”

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The Associated Press reported that Trump also proposed suspending the federal gas tax to help with higher fuel prices caused by the war, with the tax described as “just over 18 cents per gallon and 24 cents for diesel.”

The AP said the stakes are raised by the stalled diplomacy and recent exchanges of fire that could tip the Middle East back into open warfare and prolong the worldwide energy crisis sparked by the conflict.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Monday, “Our demand is legitimate,” and CNN reported that Iran’s Foreign Ministry described its proposal as “reasonable” and “generous.”

CNA said Tehran called for an end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, where US ally Israel is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, and it demanded compensation for war damage, an end to the US naval blockade, and resumption of Iranian oil sales.

Associated Press

CNA also said Iran emphasized its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, where it has shut down shipping traffic that normally carries one-fifth of the world's oil and gas supply.

The Associated Press reported that Trump said Iran had claimed it would allow the U.S. to come in and help extract its highly enriched uranium but “went back on that in its latest ceasefire proposal,” leaving the two sides “far apart” on the terms.

As the Strait of Hormuz stayed closed, CNN said oil prices were climbing after Trump dismissed Iran’s latest terms, sparking fears of a fresh escalation that would keep the vital Strait of Hormuz closed even longer.

The Associated Press said Trump is heading back to China, where he is expected to urge President Xi Jinping to pressure Iran, and it described China as the biggest buyer of Iran’s sanctioned crude oil, giving it leverage.

CNN reported that the U.S. offered a reward of up to $15 million “for information leading to the disruption of the financial mechanisms” of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as the United States seeks to ratchet up pressure against Tehran.

France 24 reported that the U.S. administration announced sanctions on three individuals and nine companies, with the statement that “The IRGC relies on front companies in permissive economic environments to hide its role in oil sales and funnel its proceeds to the Iranian regime.”