Iran sent US proposal to end ongoing conflict – Why did Trump reject it?
Trump has warned Iran through a Truth Social post that if Tehran refused to reach an agreement, “bombing will start, and unfortunately it will be on a scale and intensity greater than ever before”.
by Zee Media Bureau · Zee NewsUS-Iran Conflict: A fresh diplomatic proposal from Iran aimed at ending the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel has run into immediate resistance from US President Donald Trump, who called Tehran’s response “completely unacceptable”.
According to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, Tehran sent its proposal through Pakistan and included a series of demands to end the war. These demands reportedly included an immediate end to military operations, removal of the American naval blockade around Iranian ports and guarantees that Iran would not face future attacks.
The latest exchange comes months after the United States and Israel launched large-scale strikes on Iran in February. A ceasefire between Washington and Tehran came into effect in April as part of broader efforts to negotiate a settlement. Since then, both sides have mostly followed the truce, though occasional firing incidents have continued.
Earlier this week, Trump repeated his claim that the conflict in Iran would end “very soon”. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear that Israel’s position continues to depend on Iran’s nuclear programme.
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Speaking to CBS News programme ‘60 Minutes’, he said Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile still had to be “destroyed” before the war could truly end.
“There are still uranium enrichment facilities that have yet to be destroyed,” Netanyahu said during the interview.
What Iran wants
Iranian state media reports say Tehran’s proposal also includes demands for compensation for damage caused during the war. The country has additionally insisted on its sovereignty over the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian did not directly mention the proposal in his latest statements, though he strongly defended Tehran’s position.
“We will never bow before the enemy. Negotiation does not mean surrender or retreat,” he said on Sunday (May 10).
Trump reacted strongly after reading Iran’s response. Posting on Truth Social, he posted, “I have just read the response from the so-called representatives of Iran. I did not like it. It is completely unacceptable.”
According to a report by Axios, the American side had earlier shared a 14-point memorandum with Iran. The document, according to reports, included demands related to halting uranium enrichment, restoring movement through the Strait of Hormuz and possible sanctions relief.
Citing two American officials and two additional sources, the report said many of the conditions would only take effect after a final agreement.
Strait of Hormuz is at the centre
Hormuz continues to be one of the biggest pressure points in the conflict. Iran has kept the route partially closed, leading to rising oil prices across the world. Nearly 20 percent of world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments usually pass through the narrow sea route.
At the same time, the United States has tightened pressure on Iran through naval restrictions around Iranian ports. Tehran has opposed the move.
Iran has also issued warnings to neighbouring countries. According to Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), military spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia warned that ships moving through Hormuz without cooperating with Iran should “prepare for consequences”.
“The Americans can never turn this vast region of the northern Indian Ocean into a real blockade simply by deploying naval forces,” he said.
New tensions in Gulf waters
The Gulf region has also seen new security incidents in recent days. Britain announced on Saturday (May 9) that the Royal Navy would send a warship to the Middle East for a possible international maritime security mission in the Strait of Hormuz.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are leading talks around the proposed mission. Starmer said the operation would only begin once fighting in the region stops.
Iran warned that any British or French military deployment in Hormuz would face an “immediate and decisive response”.
Later, Macron clarified that France had “never imagined a naval deployment” and said the idea was to create a maritime security arrangement “in coordination with Iran”.
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Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said a cargo vessel around 43 kilometres northeast of Doha caught fire after being hit by an “unknown projectile”. No casualties were reported. Iran’s Fars News Agency later quoted an unnamed source claiming the ship belonged to the United States.
Kuwait also said several drones entered its airspace on Sunday and were shot down by its military. A few hours later, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced that its air defence systems intercepted two drones launched from Iran.
More countries preparing for maritime security talks
On Monday (May 11), defence ministers from over 40 countries are expected to discuss a British-led plan aimed at protecting shipping movement through the Strait of Hormuz after the conflict ends.
The meeting will be jointly chaired by British Defence Secretary John Healey and French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin.
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The talks are expected to discuss future monitoring of maritime traffic once hostilities come to an end.
Trump had earlier warned Iran on May 6 through another Truth Social post that if Tehran refused to reach an agreement, “bombing will start, and unfortunately it will be on a scale and intensity greater than ever before”.