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Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei rejected a new ceasefire proposal, as US President Donald Trump’s deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz loomed on Monday.
A draft proposal formulated by Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey calling for a 45-day ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz was sent to Iran and the US, according to the Associated Press.
The goal is to create time for broader negotiations and potentially a more lasting peace deal.
The proposal was sent by Pakistan late Sunday night to both Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US special envoy Steve Witkoff, according to two Middle East officials quoted by AP.
They hope the 45-day window would provide enough time for extensive talks between the countries to reach a permanent ceasefire.
Iran was the first to respond to the proposal on Monday, with Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei saying the ceasefire proposal is “illogical” and unacceptable.
He added that the US and Israel “have no red lines” and that Iran cannot participate in any negotiations under threat.
The Iranian official added that Iran’s national security is the main factor in agreeing to any talks and that Iran is defending “with all its might”.
Washington is yet to respond to the ceasefire proposal.
At the same time, Trump warned Iran it would face strikes on power plants and bridges if the strait remained closed. In an expletive-laden social media post on Sunday, Trump said, “Open the f****** strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in hell — just watch.”
The US president has repeatedly shifted his own deadlines, pointing to ongoing discussions.
Tehran pushes back
But time and again, Tehran appears to dismiss Trump’s claims and threats.
In an interview with the AP, Iran’s Culture Minister Seyed Reza Salehi Amiri called Trump “an unstable, delusional figure” and said Iranians do not take his statements seriously because they often change.
He also described Trump as difficult to understand for both sides. “It seems Trump has become a phenomenon that neither Iranians nor Americans are able to fully analyse,” Salehi Amiri added. “Regarding the strait, it is open to the world, but closed to Iran’s enemies.”
Aside from the rhetoric, the Tehran regime’s position remains firm. It will not stop fighting without guarantees in place, including financial reparations and assurances that it will not be attacked again.
Meanwhile on Monday, Israel and the US carried out a wave of attacks on Iran, killing more than 25 people and hitting the South Pars natural gas field, according to state-run media reports, and Tehran responded with missile fire on Israel and its Gulf neighbours.