Iran-U.S. ceasefire deteriorates as Trump rejects Tehran's proposal

Iran and the United States were deadlocked Monday over ceasefire terms while their truce deteriorated, with recent fighting, targeted ships, and renewed conflict between Israel and Hezbollah threatening to reignite broader Middle East warfare. The instability could extend the global energy crisis, as Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. maintains a blockade of Iranian ports. Trump plans to press Chinese President Xi Jinping this week to pressure Iran into making concessions, leveraging Beijing's position as the Islamic Republic's largest crude oil buyer.

Trump rejected Iran's Sunday proposal as "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE," citing Tehran's demands for an end to the American blockade and sanctions before discussing its highly enriched uranium stockpile. Iran countered that it only sought its "legitimate rights" while offering to dilute part of its uranium and transport the remainder to a third country, requesting 30 days to finalize negotiations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed the conflict was "not over" and stated that Israel and the U.S. agree they can "reengage militarily" if nuclear material cannot be removed through diplomacy, warning that the current Iranian government's "days are numbered."