United States President Donald Trump issued a stern warning on Monday after Iran rejected another ceasefire deal.
Iran rejected the ceasefire deal which included a proposed 45-day truce aimed at de-escalating the five-week-long conflict in the Middle East.
“Iran has conveyed to Pakistan its response to the American proposal to end the war,” the news agency IRNA said, without revealing its source or what the US offer contained.
“In this response—set out in ten points—Iran… has rejected a ceasefire and insists on the need for a definitive end to the conflict.”
Several countries are trying to find a diplomatic solution to end 38 days of war sparked by Israeli and U.S attacks against Iran, which has responded by firing missiles at targets across the Middle East.
Trump had warned on Sunday that unless Tehran agreed by Tuesday evening to allow free passage to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, he would order strikes on its power plants and bridges.
But IRNA said Tehran had countered with demands of its own, including “an end to conflicts in the region, a protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, reconstruction, and the lifting of sanctions”.
Among the 10 demands Iran sent in response were a demand for an end to all regional conflicts, a new “safe passage protocol for the Strait of Hormuz,” funding reconstruction of Iranian infrastructure damaged during the war, and the lifting of Western sanctions against Tehran.
Responding, Trump, during a press conference at the White House warned Iran to be ready for “total devastation” after it rejected another ceasefire deal.
The proposal, mediated by Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey, sought a temporary halt to hostilities and the reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
While Trump acknowledged the proposal as a “significant step,” he noted it fell short of U.S. demands.
“They made a proposal, and it’s a significant proposal, a significant step,” Trump told reporters at the Easter Egg Roll on Monday, a White House tradition that comes amid the backdrop of war.
“It’s not good enough, but it’s a very significant step,” Trump continued. “They are negotiating now. And they have made a very significant step. We’ll see what happens.”
Trump reiterated his threat to destroy Iran’s power plants and bridges if it does not agree to a deal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“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 nothing,” Mr. Trump said.
The president said the war was about “one thing,” which he said was preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. But he also said he would like to seize Iran’s oil.
“If I had my choice? What would I like to do? Take the oil, because it’s there for the taking. There’s not a thing they can do about it,” he said. “Unfortunately, the American people would like to see us come home. If it were up to me, I’d take the oil. I’d keep the oil and would make plenty of money. And I’d also take care of the people of Iran.”
This comes after Iran had initially rejected a 15-point peace plan from the U.S. The country vowed not to succumb to any international powers.
