Iran has rejected US President Donald Trump’s latest proposal to end the war and sharply criticised POTUS over his response. Trump described Iran’s latest reply to the US proposal as “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.” Amid the diplomatic standoff, Iranian Army spokesperson Akraminia warned that countries backing US sanctions against Tehran could face difficulties crossing the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency as cited by Reuters. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Saturday issued a fresh warning, saying it could target US positions in West Asia as well as “enemy ships” if Iranian tankers come under attack.
The warning followed reported US strikes on two Iranian tankers in the Gulf of Oman a day earlier. According to Iranian state media, the IRGC said any assault on Iranian commercial vessels would trigger a “heavy” response against American assets across the region.
Iranian state broadcaster IRIB defended Tehran’s response to Washington after Trump rejected the proposal. In a statement published on its Telegram channel, IRIB said Iran’s reply “emphasizes the fundamental rights of the Iranian nation” and accused the United States of demanding Iran’s “surrender to Trump’s greed”.
The broadcaster said Tehran’s proposal called for war reparations from the United States, recognition of Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, and the lifting of sanctions imposed on the country.
IRIB also stated that Iran demanded the release of Iranian assets and funds frozen abroad as part of any agreement aimed at ending the conflict.
Iran later confirmed it had formally rejected the latest US proposal to end the war, describing the offer as equivalent to “surrender”.
Iranian state television reported that Tehran’s response included demands for war reparations, full Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, removal of sanctions, and the release of frozen Iranian assets.
The report suggested that Iranian authorities viewed the American proposal as heavily one-sided and unacceptable under the current circumstances.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency further reported that Tehran also sought an end to the US naval blockade, guarantees against future attacks, and the removal of Washington’s restrictions on Iranian oil sales.
According to reports, Trump reviewed Iran’s latest response on Sunday before issuing a sharp reaction on his Truth Social platform. “I have just read the response from Iran’s so-called ‘Representatives.’ I don’t like it, TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!”
Iran announced Monday that a man who was charged with spying for Israel and America was hanged in the wake of multiple execution cases against the backdrop of the current conflict with the two countries. “Erfan Shakourzadeh… was hanged for his cooperation with the intelligence services of the US and Mossad spy organisation,” the judiciary’s Mizan Online website reported.
In response to regional tension, the president of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, stated that there were various courses available for the Iranian nation to take, which include talks held with “dignity” and “authority,” emphasising the importance of consolidating its military achievements diplomatically, according to reports from ANI.
On Monday, Lebanese officials called on the US to exert pressure on Israel to end its attacks on Lebanon, which had resumed despite the ceasefire agreement in the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah conflict. As per Lebanese government sources, the total number of fatalities resulting from Israeli bombings since March 2 has climbed to 2,869 individuals, out of which many were killed even after the declaration of the ceasefire on April 17.
An oil spill has been observed offshore at Iran’s Kharg Island, which is an important oil exporting site in the Islamic Republic, reported The New York Times, based on satellite images. There was no immediate clue about the reasons behind the spill that was located offshore at the western coast of Kharg Island, with estimates of its size exceeding 52 square kilometres (20 square miles). It seemed like the oil spill was moving southwards, towards the waters of Saudi Arabia.
In his interview with American news agencies, Netanyahu states that “the war against Iran hasn’t ended, although I believe we accomplished a great deal.” He added, “There is still some nuclear material – enriched uranium – that must be removed from Iran.”
Addressing ties between Iran and the UAE, Esmail Baghaei said Tehran had received reports that Iranian nationals were subjected to harassment in the United Arab Emirates during the past week.
According to remarks cited by Al Jazeera, Baghaei stated that Iranian diplomatic missions in Dubai and other locations had been instructed to closely follow developments involving Iranian citizens in the UAE.
“We have issued clear directives to our embassies and consulates in Dubai, and we are carefully monitoring the situation in the UAE. We will not hesitate to take any necessary measures within our authority to support our people,” the spokesperson said.
Iran has cautioned European countries against deploying warships to the region amid escalating tensions, warning that such a move could damage their own interests.
Responding to reports about possible European naval deployments, Iranian spokesperson Esmail Baghaei urged the countries to avoid becoming involved in the conflict.
“They should avoid taking any action that could harm their interests,” Baghaei said. “As I have stated before, this war is not only unethical but also illegal. The aggression against Iran was initiated by the US and Israel. European countries should not be misled into entering this issue.”
Pete Hegseth dismissed allegations made by Democratic Senator Mark Kelly that the conflict with Iran had significantly reduced America’s weapons reserves.
Taking to X, Hegseth mocked the senator’s remarks, writing, “‘Captain’ Mark Kelly strikes again,” while accusing him of publicly discussing sensitive Pentagon-related information.
Kelly, during an interview with CBS, had claimed that the United States had “expended a lot of munitions” during the confrontation with Iran and cautioned that restoring the stockpile to previous levels could take several years.
Iran has turned down the proposal put forward by the United States, according to a statement issued on Monday by the Iranian Embassy in India. The Embassy said Tehran submitted its official response to Washington’s offer, arguing that accepting the proposal would have amounted to yielding to what it described as “Trump’s excessive demands.”
In a post shared on X, the Iranian Embassy in India stated that Tehran’s response was framed around safeguarding the “fundamental rights of the Iranian nation.”
Buyers of electric vehicles and consumers of a diet cola in India may seem to be two groups with little in common, but they are both at risk from the fallout from the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The longer the narrow waterway remains closed to most vessels the more pronounced second- and third-round effects will become on the world economy, which is already having to deal with higher prices for refined fuels such as diesel and gasoline and the related inflation this brings. (Reuters)
The dollar advanced for a second day against its major peers in Asian trade on Monday, supported by strong U.S. jobs data and safe-haven demand driven by a shaky U.S.-Iran ceasefire.
The euro EUR= was down 0.2% at $1.1757, the yen JPY= slipped 0.3% to 157.155 yen per dollar and the British pound GBP= was 0.3% lower at $1.3590. The risk-sensitive Australian dollar AUD= slipped 0.2% to $0.7229, while its kiwi counterpart weakened 0.3% to $0.5948. (Reuters)
Iran’s military has declared its forces are on “full readiness” to safeguard the country’s nuclear facilities and uranium stockpiles amid rising concerns over potential attacks by the United States or Israel. Iranian military spokesperson Brigadier General Akrami Nia said officials were particularly worried about infiltration attempts or operations aimed at capturing enriched uranium through military action.
The United States and Israel have continued to maintain that Iran could ultimately acquire the capability to build a nuclear weapon. A key point of contention in the ongoing negotiations remains nearly 970 pounds of enriched uranium that international inspectors believe is stored deep beneath Iranian nuclear facilities previously targeted in attacks.
China on Monday confirmed that US President Donald Trump will undertake a state visit to the country from May 13 to 15, where he is expected to hold discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping on issues including Iran and bilateral trade relations.
The visit comes at a time when Washington and Beijing remain divided over several major geopolitical and economic matters, including tariffs, the ongoing Middle East conflict and Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory.
Trump’s trip had initially been planned for late March or early April, but was delayed as the US administration shifted focus towards the Iran conflict.
“At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President of the United States of America Donald J. Trump will pay a state visit to China from May 13 to 15,” a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said.
Global oil prices jumped sharply on Sunday amid renewed uncertainty over negotiations between the United States and Iran, raising fears of further disruptions to energy supplies through a crucial Middle Eastern shipping route.
Brent crude futures climbed 3.17% to reach $104.50 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 3.21% to around $98.48 a barrel.
Vessel tracker showing traffic in Strait of Hormuz as two more tankers laden with crude exited the waterway last week with trackers switched off to avoid Iranian attacks, Kpler shipping data showed, underscoring a rising trend to sustain Middle East oil exports. (Reuters)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he wants Israel to gradually phase out American military assistance over the next 10 years.
Speaking during an interview on 60 Minutes aired on Sunday, Netanyahu said Israel had “come of age” and should reduce its dependence on US financial support.
