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US President Donald Trump on Monday confirmed that his administration has received a proposal from Iran aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in West Asia, but described the offer as insufficient.
Speaking to reporters during the 2026 White House Easter Egg Roll, Trump acknowledged reviewing the proposal, noting that it was a "significant step". "I have seen every proposal you can imagine... They've made a proposal, and it's a significant proposal -- a significant step. It's not good enough, but it is a very significant step. They are negotiating now, but it's still a very significant step," the US President said. Trump said "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon" and referred to his decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear agreement signed under the Obama administration, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Trump claimed that had the United States "not broken the Barack Obama nuclear deal, Israel would have been gone, and the entire Middle East would be in big trouble." In stark language, Trump also spoke about the scale of US military actions in Iran if a deal is not reached, reiterating his warning of targeting Iran's energy and civilian infrastructure. "We are obliterating the country. I hate to say it but we are obliterating the country. They just don't want to say 'uncle'. They don't want to cry, as the expression goes, 'uncle' -- but they will. And if they don't, they'll have no bridges. They'll have no power plants. They'll have no anything," the US President said. Trump also stated that if he had the choice, he would have taken over Iran's oil reserves under US control. "If I had a choice, I would have taken the oil. It is there for the taking," he added. Iran earlier rejected a US-proposed ceasefire deal and instead unveiled its 10-point plan aimed at permanently ending the ongoing war, Iranian state news agency Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported. According to IRNA, the plan, presented by Tehran, outlines comprehensive measures to resolve the conflict, including the cessation of regional hostilities, ensuring secure transit through the Strait of Hormuz, facilitating reconstruction efforts, and the lifting of international sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Earlier in the day, Iran described the 15-point proposal from the US to end the conflict in West Asia and to open the strategic Strait of Hormuz as "excessively demanding", stating that it has prepared its own set of demands to end hostilities, which have entered the second month now. According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the US proposal -- reportedly delivered through mediators -- is too onerous and unrealistic for Tehran to accept. The ministry, in a statement, noted that Tehran has now compiled and formalised its own demands, signalling that negotiations will proceed only if these conditions are met. It also said that the possibility of a recent "pilot rescue in Isfahan" in central Iran being a deceptive operation aimed at seizing Tehran's enriched uranium cannot be ignored. Earlier on Sunday, US President Donald Trump stated that a high-risk rescue operation was conducted deep inside Iran to retrieve a US service member who was part of the crew for an F-15 fighter jet which was downed by the Islamic Republic last week. The Iranian Foreign Ministry further cautioned that a ceasefire could simply offer the opposing side a chance to regroup and resume hostilities if underlying issues are not addressed. "The US 15-point proposal is excessively demanding. We have compiled and formalised our own set of demands. The possibility that the 'pilot rescue in Isfahan' was a deceptive operation aimed at seizing Iran's enriched uranium cannot be ignored. A ceasefire risks becoming an opportunity for the opposing side to regroup and continue its actions," the Iranian Foreign Ministry said. On the diplomatic front, Iran said talks with Oman are ongoing to establish protocols that would ensure the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. On Sunday, the Foreign Ministry of Oman stated that the Sultanate and the Islamic Republic of Iran have initiated discussions on ensuring the smooth flow of maritime transit through the strategically significant Strait of Hormuz amid prevailing regional conflict. According to a statement issued by the ministry on X, the two sides held a meeting on Saturday, April 4, at the level of deputy foreign ministers, with participation from specialists representing both countries. (ANI)
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