United States President Donald Trump has cast serious doubt on a 14-point peace proposal submitted by Iran through Pakistani mediators, warning that military action remains a live option while negotiations over the two-month conflict remain deadlocked.
Iran’s proposal, reported by the semi-official Tasnim and Fars news agencies and delivered to Pakistan on Thursday, calls for ending the war on all fronts within 30 days, including the fighting in Lebanon. It also demands guarantees against future military aggression, the withdrawal of US forces from Iran’s periphery, an end to the naval blockade, the release of frozen Iranian assets, reparations, the lifting of sanctions, and a new mechanism for governing the Strait of Hormuz.
The proposal was submitted in response to a nine-point US framework, and comes weeks after a ceasefire took effect on April 8, pausing a conflict that began when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28.
Trump, posting on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, said he could not imagine the plan being acceptable, arguing that Iran had not suffered enough consequences for its actions over the past 47 years. Speaking separately to reporters in West Palm Beach, Florida, he did not rule out resuming strikes. “If they misbehave, if they do something bad, it’s a possibility that could happen, certainly,” he said.
Iranian officials have matched the combative tone from Washington. Senior military figure Mohammad Jafar Asadi said a renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is likely, accusing Washington of failing to honour its commitments. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the ball is now in the United States’ court, adding that Tehran is prepared for diplomacy or confrontation.
The central sticking points remain Iran’s nuclear programme and control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately a fifth of global oil and gas exports pass. Iran imposed restrictions on the waterway after the initial strikes, triggering what the International Energy Agency described as the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market. Oil prices have risen sharply since the conflict began.
Despite the Gulf ceasefire, fighting has continued in Lebanon, where Israeli strikes on Hezbollah positions have persisted. Lebanese state media reported 13 people were killed in the south on Sunday, and Hezbollah has claimed retaliatory strikes on Israeli forces. The Lebanon theatre has complicated broader negotiations, as Iran has said it will not accept any peace deal that does not also end the war there.
In Washington, lawmakers are debating whether the administration exceeded the 60-day limit under the War Powers Resolution without obtaining congressional authorisation. The administration has argued the ceasefire effectively paused the deadline, while Democrats dispute that interpretation.
Inside Iran, the human cost of the conflict is mounting. Inflation has surpassed 50 percent, oil exports have been severely disrupted, and an estimated one million Iranians have lost employment since the strikes began. Ordinary Iranians are increasingly feeling the strain, though neither side has yet indicated a willingness to make the concessions necessary for a comprehensive settlement.
