Iran cease-fire is on “life support,” U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday, after rejecting Tehran’s response to a U.S. peace proposal, fueling concerns of a resumption of hostilities in the 10-week-old conflict that has killed thousands and halted critical energy flows.
Days after Washington floated a proposal aimed at reopening negotiations, Iran on Sunday released a response focused on ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, where U.S. ally Israel is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. The response had been swiftly rejected by Trump.
Asked where the ceasefire stands, "I would call it the weakest right now, after reading that piece of garbage they sent us. I didn't even finish reading it," Trump told reporters on Monday.
In its response, Tehran also demanded compensation for war damage, emphasized its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, and called on the U.S. to end its naval blockade, guarantee no further attacks, lift sanctions and remove a ban on Iranian oil sales. The U.S. had proposed an end to fighting before starting talks on more contentious issues, including Iran's nuclear program.
Tehran defended its stance on Monday.
