The ceasefire between Iran and the United States appeared under threat on Monday as US President Donald Trump denounced a “stupid proposal” from Tehran.
Trump called the Iranian proposal a “piece of garbage” and warned that the halt in fighting is on “life support.”
Diplomatic efforts to reach a peace deal between Tehran and Washington have stalled in recent weeks despite a ceasefire lasting over one month.
A second round of direct negotiations in Pakistan has failed to materialise despite several attempts.
Iranian state media reported that the plan presented by Iran calls for US reparations for war damage.
Tehran is also demanding full sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, an end to sanctions against the country and the release of seized Iranian assets.
According to reports, the dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme – a key stumbling block in negotiations – played no part in the latest proposal.
Trump said Iran agreed in recent days to allow the US to remove enriched uranium from the country. “But they changed their mind because they didn’t put it in the paper,” he added.
Iran denied the claim, with the Tasnim news agency – which is close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – reporting that the regime’s negotiating team never agreed for its highly enriched uranium to be transported outside the country.
Further reports that Tehran has agreed to stop uranium enrichment for 15 years were untrue, Tasnim added, calling the suggestion “psychological warfare.”
Iran‘s nuclear programme has been the source of decades of tensions with Israel, the US and the West.
Tehran has always denied attempting to develop nuclear weapons. However, critics point to Iranian stocks of 440 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium, which could be used for the construction of nuclear weapons.
