Iran Rejects U.S. Ceasefire Terms as Trump Calls Response "Totally Unacceptable"

New York - Iran has responded to the latest American ceasefire proposal through Pakistani mediators, but President Donald Trump swiftly dismissed the reply, calling it "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE" on social media.

Tehran's response signaled a desire to negotiate a permanent end to the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon where Israeli forces are battling the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group. Iran also wants guarantees on the safety of maritime shipping through the region.

The U.S. proposal had called for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, winding down hostilities, and rolling back Iran's nuclear program. Trump, who earlier accused Iran of "playing games" with the United States for nearly 50 years, warned the country would "be laughing no longer." Despite the sharp rhetoric, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said the administration was giving diplomacy "every chance we possibly can before going back to hostilities."

The fragile situation was further tested when a drone struck a cargo ship off Qatar's coast, sparking a small fire. The UAE reported shooting down two drones and blamed Iran, while Kuwait also confirmed drones had entered its airspace. No casualties were reported.

Iran has largely blockaded the Strait of Hormuz since the war began following U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28. The U.S. military has responded with a blockade of Iranian ports since April 13, turning back dozens of commercial vessels and striking two Iranian oil tankers it said were attempting to breach the blockade.

A major sticking point in negotiations remains Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which UN inspectors say exceeds 440 kilograms enriched to 60 percent purity — just a technical step away from weapons grade. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war cannot end until that uranium is removed from Iran, adding that Trump himself had expressed willingness to take physical action. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow's offer to take custody of the uranium as part of a negotiated settlement remains open.