Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the US was making “unreasonable demands” that are being shaped by Israel, comments that come after President Trump rejected Tehran’s latest proposal to end the war.
“We did not demand any concessions. Our demand is legitimate: demanding an end to the war, lifting the blockade and piracy, and releasing Iranian assets that have been unjustly frozen in banks due to US pressure,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters at a press conference.
“Safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and establishing security in the region and Lebanon were other demands of Iran, which are considered a generous and responsible offer for regional security,” he added.
Baghaei also said that Tehran’s current focus is on ending the war, not its nuclear program, appearing to contradict Western media reports that said Iran’s latest response to the US included details on the nuclear issue.
“At this stage, our focus is on ending the war. As for what decisions will be made later regarding the nuclear issue, Iran’s enriched materials, and enrichment-related discussions, or which options we might consider, these are matters we will certainly discuss when the time is right,” Baghaei said.
President Trump on Monday doubled down on his rejection of Iran’s latest proposal, calling it a “piece of garbage” and warning that the ceasefire is on “life support.”
The US bombed Iranian ports last week and has attacked several Iranian commercial ships, but further escalation could be in the cards as Trump has been threatening to restart the full-scale bombing campaign. Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, warned on Monday that Iran is ready to respond to any US attacks.
“Our armed forces are ready to deliver a well-deserved response to any aggression; mistaken strategy and mistaken decisions will always lead to mistaken results— the whole world has already figured this out,” he wrote on X. “We are prepared for all options; they will be surprised.”
