Trump rejects Iran war proposal as tensions with Tehran, Germany and global oil markets deepen amid fears over Hormuz and wider conflict.
Trump has rejected the latest Iran war proposal, saying he is not satisfied with Tehran’s offer as the two-month-old conflict remains trapped in diplomatic deadlock.
The U.S. President’s remarks on Friday signaled that the confrontation between Washington and Tehran is likely to continue, even as he seeks a way out of a war that remains deeply unpopular among Americans.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran remains ready for diplomacy if the United States changes its approach.
However, the gap between the two sides appears wide, with disputes continuing over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions pressure and the future of U.S. military action.
The diplomatic standoff also comes as U.S. relations with traditional allies face new strain.
On Friday, the United States announced it was withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany, escalating tensions after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that the Iranians were humiliating the United States and that Washington lacked an exit strategy.
Trump had previously threatened a drawdown over differences with Merz.
A senior Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the recent German comments as “inappropriate and unhelpful.”
“The president is rightly reacting to these counterproductive remarks,” the official said.
Although the United States and Iran suspended hostilities after an April 8 ceasefire, both countries remain locked in confrontation.
The two sides have yet to agree on a second meeting following a brief summit of senior officials in Islamabad last month.
It remains unclear what Iran submitted in its fresh proposal.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has cautioned against expecting quick results, suggesting that any diplomatic breakthrough could still be far away.
“They want to make a deal, but … I’m not satisfied with it,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
He also said the Iranian leadership was “very disjointed” and split into two or three groups.
“They’re asking for things that I can’t agree to,” Trump said, adding that negotiations by phone were continuing.
Later on Friday, during a speech in Florida, Trump said the United States would not end its confrontation with Iran early “and then have the problem arise in three more years.”
Trump has repeatedly said Iran will not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
He is also under pressure to break Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, where disruptions have choked off 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas supplies.
This raises concerns far beyond the Middle East, as the closure of the strait continues to threaten global energy flows and economic stability.
Global oil prices eased on Friday after news of the Iranian proposal, falling from Thursday’s four-year high.
Benchmark Brent crude was down 1 percent to around $109.
Araqchi said Iran was willing to pursue diplomacy if the United States changes what he called its “excessive approach, threatening rhetoric and provocative actions.”
However, he added in a post on his Telegram channel that “Iran’s armed forces remained ready to defend the country against any threat.”
Two senior Iranian sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Iran had activated air defenses and was preparing a wide response if attacked.
According to the sources, Tehran assessed that any attack could involve a short, intensive U.S. strike, possibly followed by an Israeli attack.
Separately, Trump told leaders in Congress that he did not need their permission to extend the war beyond a Friday deadline set by law because the ceasefire had “terminated” hostilities.
“Do we want to go and just blast the hell out of them and finish them forever? Or do we want to try and make a deal?” Trump said when asked about his options.
Trump added that “on a human basis,” he did not prefer the military course of action.
The war began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.
Since then, thousands of people have died, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has deepened fears of a wider global economic downturn.
The U.S. Navy is currently blockading exports of Iranian crude oil.
As of Friday afternoon, 45 commercial vessels had been stopped, according to the U.S. military.
The U.S. Treasury said any shipper paying tolls to Iran for passage, including charitable donations to organizations such as the Iranian Red Crescent Society, would face the risk of punitive sanctions.
The war has worsened Iran’s economic crisis, although the country appears able to survive the standoff for now despite the U.S. blockade curtailing its energy exports.
In a written message, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei called on businesses damaged in the war to avoid layoffs as much as possible, Iranian news agencies reported.
China has also entered the diplomatic picture.
China’s U.N. ambassador, Fu Cong, said maintaining the ceasefire was an urgent necessity and that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened as quickly as possible.
He said he was sure the strait would be high on the agenda in talks between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Trump if it remains closed when Trump travels to Beijing this month.
However, questions remain over whether Washington and Tehran are moving toward a deal or simply buying time before the next escalation.
What happens next could be critical. If diplomacy fails, the war could deepen the rift between the United States and its allies, keep oil prices under pressure, and push the world closer to a wider economic and security crisis.
