Iran Rejects Trump’s Temporary Ceasefire Proposal

Tehran - Iran has turned down a US proposal for a ceasefire, instead sending back a ten-point response that calls for a permanent end to the war, according to the official IRNA news agency.The response, consisting of 10 points, rejects the idea of a temporary ceasefire and emphasises the need for a lasting end to the war in line with Iran's conditions.

Tehran conveyed its position to Washington through Pakistan on Monday. The response includes demands for an end to all conflicts in the region, a protocol governing safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of sanctions and a commitment to reconstruction in Iran, IRNA reported.

US President Donald Trump said Washington had reviewed a proposal for a 45-day ceasefire, describing it as a step forward, though not sufficient.

"It's a significant proposal; it's a significant step. It's not good enough, but it's a very significant step," he told reporters at the White House. He added that intermediaries were continuing discussions.

He added that he is upset with the Iranian government and that they are going to pay a big price for it.

"The first regime was taken out; the second regime was taken out. Now the third group of people that we're dealing with is not as radicalised, and we think they're actually much smarter," Trump said at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll.

'US demands were unacceptable.'

Iran's rejection came after Israel struck a key petrochemical plant in the massive South Pars natural gas field.

"We won't merely accept a ceasefire," Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, head of the Iranian diplomatic mission in Cairo, told The Associated Press. "We only accept an end of the war with guarantees that we won't be attacked again."

Trump's deadline centres on Tehran opening the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil is shipped in peacetime. Ferdousi Pour said Iranian and Omani officials were working on a mechanism for administrating the shipping chokepoint.

Iran's grip on the strait has caused oil prices to surge and shaken the world economy.

Speaking to reporters in Tehran, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran has already conveyed its requirements through intermediaries. He said that US demands were unacceptable, adding the proposal was extremely excessive and unusual and illogical.

"Iran does not hesitate to clearly express what it considers its legitimate demands, and doing so should not be interpreted as a sign of compromise, but rather as a reflection of its confidence in defending its positions," Baghaei said.

When asked about efforts for a ceasefire, he said, "We have formulated our own responses."

He added: "We are calling for an end to the war and for preventing its recurrence." He added that Iran does not reject the idea of ending the conflict, but a temporary ceasefire will only help Tehran's adversaries to regroup and prepare for further fighting.

'Any diplomatic talks incompatible with ultimatums'

Rejecting the idea of diplomacy under military pressure, he said, "Any diplomatic talks are absolutely incompatible with ultimatums, crimes, and threats to commit war crimes."

On Sunday, President Trump used his social media platform, Truth Social, to issue an ultimatum to Iran. He set a deadline of "Tuesday, 8.00 pm Eastern Time" for the country to open the Strait of Hormuz.

In another expletive-laden post, the president threatened to target Iran's energy infrastructure if the waterway remains closed.

"Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah," Trump wrote.The president repeated this warning on Monday. Trump has made similar statements in the past, often extending deadlines even as mediators reported potential progress toward ending the conflict on mutually agreeable terms.