President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s response to the United States’ latest proposal to end the war, declaring it “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE” in a May 10 social media post without giving further details.
The post dashed hopes for an imminent end to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran that has caused widespread damage in the Middle East, paralyzed maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and driven up global energy prices. The United States had proposed an end to the fighting, reopening the key oil shipping waterway and rolling back Iran’s nuclear program.
Reuters, citing Iranian state media, reported that Iran’s proposal emphasized its sovereignty over the strait, called for war reparations from the United States, and framed the U.S. proposal as a surrender to Trump’s demands.
“We will never bow our heads before the enemy, and if talk of dialogue or negotiation arises, it does not mean surrender or retreat,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a post on X on May 10. “Rather, the goal is to uphold the rights of the Iranian nation and to defend national interests with resolute strength.
Tense days of attacks in the region
Recent days have seen the biggest flare-ups in fighting in and around the Strait of Hormuz since a ceasefire began.
The United Arab Emirates said on May 10 that it intercepted two drones coming from Iran, while Qatar condemned a drone attack that hit a cargo ship coming from Abu Dhabi in its waters. Kuwait said its air defenses had dealt with hostile drones that entered its airspace.
Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for international affairs, warned the French and British that any potential naval deployment to the strait would be met with military force.