United States Rejects Latest Iranian Peace Proposal as Nuclear Standoff Deepens
Senior US official warns next conversation may be “through bombs” as Trump convenes national security team to discuss military options
WASHINGTON / TEHRAN — The United States has formally rejected Iran’s latest peace proposal, with senior officials describing the updated offer as containing only “token improvements” and lacking meaningful concessions on Tehran’s nuclear program, multiple sources confirmed on Monday .
The rejection marks the latest deadlock in nearly six weeks of indirect negotiations brokered by Pakistan following a ceasefire that ended 40 days of US-Israeli strikes on Iran. As diplomatic channels narrow, President Donald Trump has reportedly convened his top national security team at the White House Situation Room to assess military options .
“We are really not making a lot of progress. We are at a very serious place today,” a senior US official told Axios. “The pressure is on them to be responsive in the right way” .
The Rejection: What the US Found Insufficient
Iran submitted its updated counter-proposal on Sunday night through Pakistani mediators . According to US officials, the revised text—while adding more language reaffirming Tehran’s commitment not to pursue nuclear weapons—lacks concrete commitments on suspending uranium enrichment or transferring its stockpile of highly enriched uranium .
| US Demand | Iran’s Position |
|---|---|
| Transfer 400kg enriched uranium stockpile to US | Not addressed in proposal |
| Long-term suspension of uranium enrichment | Pushed to later negotiation rounds |
| Up-front nuclear concessions | Insists on deferring nuclear talks |
| End to Strait of Hormuz blockade | Conditioned on broader agreement |
“It’s time for the Iranians to throw a bit of candy out,” the senior official added. “We need some real, sturdy, and granular conversation [regarding the nuclear program]. If that’s not gonna happen, we will have a conversation through bombs, which will be a shame” .
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed Monday that Tehran had received a set of “revised points and considerations” from the US side through Pakistan, indicating that despite the public rejection, some level of communication continues .
Iran’s Counter-Demands: A “Legitimate Right”
Tehran has stood firm on its core demands, insisting that its nuclear rights are not negotiable. Baghaei emphasized Monday that Iran’s right to uranium enrichment “has been recognized under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and does not need to be recognized by other parties” .
According to Iranian media reports, Tehran’s 14-point peace proposal includes:
- Ending the war on all fronts, particularly in Lebanon
- Lifting all sanctions on Iran
- Releasing Iranian frozen assets held abroad
- Paying war reparations for damages caused by US-Israeli strikes
- Recognizing Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz
A senior Iranian source told Reuters that the proposal would first focus on securing an end to the war, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and lifting maritime sanctions, while contentious issues around Iran’s nuclear program would be deferred to later negotiation rounds .
Trump’s Warning: “The Clock Is Ticking”
President Trump has intensified his rhetoric as diplomatic efforts stall. On Sunday, before receiving Iran’s latest proposal, Trump warned: “The clock is ticking” and threatened that if Tehran fails to show flexibility, “they are going to get hit much harder” .
In a social media post on Monday, Trump announced that he had instructed the US military not to proceed with a “scheduled attack” on Iran, at the request of Qatari, Saudi, and Emirati leaders who believe a deal can still be reached. However, he added that he has “further instructed them to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached” .
No such attack had been publicly announced prior to Trump’s statement, and Reuters reported that it could not independently determine whether preparations for strikes had been made .
Military Options on the Table
Trump is expected to convene his national security team on Tuesday to discuss the deteriorating situation and potential military responses . US officials say the administration is weighing how far to continue negotiations and when to consider alternative measures .
Among the options reportedly under consideration is resuming “Project Freedom,” a military operation aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz by escorting commercial vessels through the waterway. The operation was halted after just one day last week, but Trump has suggested he is considering restarting it .
A senior US official warned that if Iran does not alter its position, Washington may be forced to continue the process “through bombs” . The official said the Iranian draft represents only a “not a meaningful improvement” over previous submissions and remains insufficient for a breakthrough agreement .
Simultaneous Concessions? The Asset Freeze Question
Despite the stalemate, there have been indications of potential movement on economic issues. According to a senior Iranian source cited by Reuters, the United States has agreed in principle to release a quarter of Iran’s frozen funds held in foreign banks—totaling tens of billions of dollars—though Iran is demanding full release .
An Iranian source close to the negotiating team also told Tasnim news agency that the US has shown more flexibility in agreeing to let Iran continue some peaceful nuclear activity under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency .
The same source claimed that the US has accepted a waiver on Iran’s oil sanctions during the negotiation period . However, a senior US official rejected the idea that sanctions relief would come without conditions, stressing that any easing of restrictions would require reciprocal steps from Tehran .
Pakistani Mediation Under Strain
The negotiations have placed Pakistan—the ceasefire broker and primary mediator—in a delicate position. A Pakistani source familiar with the talks told Reuters that the sides “keep changing their goalposts” and warned that “we don’t have much time” .
Adding to the complexity, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham recently criticized the Pentagon’s continued use of Islamabad’s mediating services following reports that Pakistan had allowed Iranian military aircraft to park at its airfields .
A diplomat from one of the mediating countries speculated that the criticism could lead Islamabad to shrink its role to merely passing along messages, rather than actively pushing the sides toward compromise, to avoid coming under fire from the more hawkish wing of the Republican party .
The Nuclear Divide: Enrichment as the Core Obstacle
At the heart of the impasse remains Iran’s uranium enrichment program. The United States has long demanded that Iran agree to never again enrich uranium, though Trump indicated earlier this month that he would accept a commitment from Tehran not to enrich for a “very extended period” .
Iran currently possesses over 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, much of which is thought to be buried deep underground, below at least one of three nuclear facilities struck by American bombers in June 2025 .
Trump claimed Monday that Iranian negotiators had previously told their American counterparts that they were prepared for the US to retrieve Tehran’s stockpiles of highly enriched uranium, but then refrained from putting that concession in the response paper submitted over the weekend .
“Two days ago, they said, ‘You’re going to have to take it.’ We were going to go with them. But they changed their mind because they didn’t put it in the paper,” Trump told reporters .
Public Positions vs. Backchannel Reality
Despite the public acrimony—Trump previously called Iran’s proposal “garbage”—diplomatic backchannels remain active . Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi disclosed last week that Tehran has “received messages” from the United States expressing willingness to persist with negotiations, even after Trump’s public dismissal .
Araghchi described the current cessation of hostilities as “very shaky” but said Tehran is trying to keep the ceasefire alive “to give diplomacy a chance” .
“We have no trust in Americans,” Araghchi said during a media briefing in New Delhi. “This is the main obstacle in the way of any diplomatic effort. We have every reason not to trust Americans, while they have no reason not to trust us” .
Iran’s military command has also issued warnings. The commander of Khatam al-Anbiya, Ali Abdollahi, was quoted by Tasnim news agency as saying Iran’s armed forces are “ready to pull the trigger” in the event of any renewed US attack, adding that “any renewed aggression and invasion … will be responded to quickly, decisively, powerfully, and extensively” .
What Comes Next
The coming days will be critical in determining whether diplomacy can be salvaged:
- Situation Room Meeting: Trump’s national security team is expected to convene on Tuesday to assess options, potentially setting the stage for renewed military action .
- Pakistani Mediation: Islamabad’s role may evolve as pressure mounts from both sides and from domestic critics in Washington .
- Asset Freeze Negotiations: The reported US offer to release 25% of frozen funds could serve as a bargaining chip, though Iran insists on full release .
- Ceasefire Stability: Araghchi has described the truce as “very shaky,” and any collapse would likely trigger renewed hostilities .
As one senior US official put it: “If that’s not gonna happen, we will have a conversation through bombs, which will be a shame” .
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Why did the US reject Iran’s latest peace proposal?
A: US officials said the updated proposal contained only “token improvements” on previous versions and lacked meaningful concessions on Iran’s nuclear program—specifically, it did not address suspending uranium enrichment or transferring Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium .
Q2: What did Iran propose in its 14-point peace plan?
A: Iran’s proposal calls for ending the war on all fronts, lifting all sanctions, releasing Iranian frozen assets, paying war reparations, and recognizing Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Nuclear issues would be deferred to later negotiation rounds .
Q3: What military options is the US considering?
A: Trump has convened his national security team to discuss potential military responses, possibly including resuming “Project Freedom” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. A senior US official warned that negotiations may continue “through bombs” if Iran does not shift its position .
Q4: Did Trump order an attack on Iran?
A: Trump announced on social media that he had instructed the military not to proceed with a “scheduled attack” at the request of Qatari, Saudi, and Emirati leaders, but said he has ordered preparations for “a full, large scale assault” if a deal is not reached. No such attack had been publicly announced prior to his statement .
Q5: Have there been any US concessions?
A: According to Iranian sources, the US has reportedly agreed to release 25% of Iran’s frozen foreign assets and has shown flexibility on allowing Iran to continue some peaceful nuclear activity under IAEA supervision. The US has not officially confirmed these concessions. A senior US official stressed that any sanctions relief would require reciprocal steps from Tehran .
Q6: Are the ceasefire and negotiations still ongoing?
A: The April 8 ceasefire remains officially in place, but Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi has described it as “very shaky.” Despite the public rejection of Iran’s proposal, backchannel communications continue through Pakistani mediators .
Q7: What is the status of the Strait of Hormuz?
A: Iran has effectively blockaded the strait since late February, disrupting approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply. Reopening the waterway is a key US demand, while Iran conditions it on recognition of its sovereignty and the lifting of maritime sanctions .
Q8: How much enriched uranium does Iran have?
A: Iran possesses over 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, much of which is believed to be stored deep underground at nuclear facilities that were struck by American bombers in June 2025 .
This is a developing story. Reflecto News will continue to provide updates on US-Iran negotiations, the status of the ceasefire, and any military developments.