Iran's foreign ministry confirmed Sunday that it had received a US response to its latest peace proposal, delivered through Pakistan, even as a cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz reported being attacked in the first such incident in weeks.
Iran's 14-point plan asks Washington to withdraw forces from near Iran's borders, end its naval blockade of Iranian ports, and halt all hostilities, including Israel's offensive in Lebanon. The proposal also calls for a final agreement to be reached within 30 days and urges both sides to focus on "ending the war" rather than simply extending the current ceasefire. Iranian state-linked media said the proposal was Tehran's response to an earlier nine-point US plan that had envisioned a two-month ceasefire.
Trump was blunt about his initial reaction. On Saturday, he wrote on Truth Social that he would review the plan but "can't imagine that it would be acceptable in that they have not yet paid a big enough price for what they have done to Humanity, and the World, over the last 47 years." He separately told Israel's Kan News on Sunday that the proposal was unacceptable to him.
Speaking to reporters in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said he had been briefed on "the concept of the deal" and was waiting for the exact wording. Asked whether military strikes against targets inside Iran could be renewed, he said it was "a possibility" depending on Iranian behavior, adding: "Right now we'll see."
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei was quoted by state media as saying that "at this stage, we do not have nuclear negotiations" — a position that cuts against a core US demand. Iran has repeatedly said its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, though it remains the only non-nuclear-armed state to have enriched uranium to near weapons-grade levels.
The diplomatic maneuvering came against a backdrop of continued military tension in the region. A bulk carrier reported being attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to multiple news outlets, marking the first such incident in several weeks. Details on casualties or damage were not immediately available.
On Friday, Trump wrote to Congress arguing that the conflict had been "terminated" since a ceasefire took effect on April 8. By law, a president must receive congressional approval within 60 days of notifying lawmakers of military action, or cease hostilities. Friday was the 60th day since Trump issued that notification. He argued the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports did not constitute a continuation of the conflict.
Trump said the US was not withdrawing from the region. "We're not leaving," he told reporters. "We're going to do it, so nobody has to go back in two years or five years."
