Iran Rejects Ceasefire as Trump’s ‘Hell’ Ultimatum Deadline Nears
Iran said on Monday it wants a lasting end to the war with the United States and Israel, pushing back against pressure to quickly reopen the Strait of Hormuz under a temporary ceasefire as Washington and Tehran weighed a framework plan to halt the five-week conflict.
Iran delivered its response to a U.S. proposal via Pakistan, rejecting a ceasefire and stressing the need for a permanent end to the war, state news agency IRNA reported. The Iranian response included 10 clauses, IRNA said, covering an end to conflicts in the region, a protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of sanctions, and reconstruction.
President Donald Trump, who has threatened to rain “hell” on Tehran if it does not reach a deal by 8 p.m. EDT on Tuesday (midnight GMT) to reopen the strategic route for global energy supplies, rejected Iran’s proposal on Monday and said his deadline was final. “They made a proposal, and it’s a significant proposal. It’s a significant step. It’s not good enough,” Trump told reporters at a White House Easter event.
Iran effectively closed Hormuz in February in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes. The chokepoint typically carries about a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas flows, making its disruption a major lever for Tehran and a key source of global economic pressure. The latest stance suggested Iran is reluctant to give up that leverage quickly.
A Pakistan-brokered framework emerged from intensive overnight contacts and calls for an immediate ceasefire, followed by talks on a broader peace settlement to be concluded within 15 to 20 days, according to a source familiar with the proposals. The source said Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was in contact “all night long” with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran’s demands “should not be interpreted as a sign of compromise,” but rather as a reflection of confidence in defending its positions, adding that earlier U.S. demands — including a 15-point plan — were rejected as “excessive.” A White House official said Trump will address the ceasefire proposal at a 1 p.m. ET press conference, but described it as “one of many ideas” that Trump has not signed off on, adding that the U.S. operation against Iran continues.
Fresh aerial strikes were reported across the region on Monday. Iranian state media said Revolutionary Guards intelligence chief Majid Khademi has died, with Israel claiming responsibility. Separately, Fars News Agency reported a U.S.-Israeli strike hit the data center at Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, damaging infrastructure linked to Iran’s national artificial intelligence platform and thousands of other services.
Source : Newsmaker.id
