Iranian Official Says Trump Rejected Peace Proposal That Was 'Reasonable and Generous'

Summary

A top Iranian official on Monday said the peace proposal rejected by President Donald Trump was a "reasonable and generous" path toward ending the war that the US and Israel launched in late February, plunging the Middle East and global energy markets into chaos.Esmail Baghaei, the spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, said during a press conference that "the only thing we have demanded is Iran's legitimate rights," accusing the US side of insisting on "unreasonable demands."Baghaei's remarks came after Trump dismissed the Iranian proposal—a counter to the latest US offer—as "totally unacceptable" in a social media post."I don't like it," Trump wrote, without specifying what he found objectionable. The president's reply sent oil prices surging."Is our proposal for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz unreasonable?" Baghaei asked in response to the US president. "Is establishing peace and security across the entire region irresponsible?"The details of the US offer and Iran's counter have not been fully made public, though some of both sides' demands have been divulged in media reports and vaguely outlined by government officials. Trump, who has repeatedly issued genocidal threats against Iran and called the country's leaders "lunatics," told Axios that he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Iran's response."It was a very nice call," said Trump. "We have a good relationship."Baghaei, for his part, rejected the notion that Iran is the party behaving irrationally. "It is enough to look at Iran's record," he said. "Were we the ones who deployed troops? Are we the ones bullying countries in the Western Hemisphere? Were we the ones who committed assassinations twice during negotiations?"Citing an "informed source," Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported Monday that "Iran's text emphasizes the necessity of an immediate end to the war and guarantees against renewed aggression toward Iran, along with several other issues within the framework of a political understanding.""Iran’s text also stresses the necessity of lifting US sanctions and ending the war on all fronts, as well as Iranian management of the Strait of Hormuz should certain commitments be fulfilled by the United States," Tasnim added. "The necessity of ending the naval blockade against Iran immediately after the signing of the initial understanding is also among Iran’s emphasized demands, the source said."Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, wrote late Sunday that it appears Iran is offering to compromise significantly on its uranium stockpile and future enrichment."The US demands that the entire Iranian stockpile be shipped out of the country. In the past, Tehran rejected shipping any of it out; it only agreed to downblending it. In its latest proposal, however, it offers to have some of it diluted and the rest shipped to a third country," Parsi wrote. "As I understand it... Iran is also offering to accept an arrangement in which it will not need to enrich uranium at all for 12 years. This is not the 15-20 years Trump originally wanted, but longer than the 3-5 years Terhan originally offered.""That Iran is willing to pause enrichment at all is a significant concession that I am not sure is fully appreciated by the American side," he continued. "It remains unclear to me why this and the stockpile have become so central in Trump’s perspective. His earlier red line was simply no nuclear weapons... The insistence on shipping the entire stockpile out appears to be another example of Trump allowing America’s red lines to be replaced by Israel’s. It would be a shame if the entire negotiation collapses over this issue."

Perspectives

Iranian Official

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei affirmed that Tehran’s peace proposal represents a reasonable and legitimate defense of national sovereignty against the unprovoked war of aggression launched by the United States and Israel in late February. Baghaei stressed that Iran seeks only its inherent rights, including secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz and regional stability, while rejecting Washington’s unreasonable demands and genocidal rhetoric as clear violations of international norms. The Islamic Republic remains steadfast in resisting foreign interference, underscoring that true peace cannot be achieved through coercion or threats to Iran’s independence.

Israeli

Iran faces an existential threat from Tehran's expanding proxy network—Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis—whose attacks have already plunged the region into war since late February, necessitating Israel's defensive campaign alongside the US to neutralize these Iranian-orchestrated dangers. The regime's so-called "reasonable" proposal for Strait of Hormuz access is a transparent ploy to preserve its leverage for further aggression, not a genuine path to security, as evidenced by its rejection of any limits on its nuclear and missile programs. Israel's coordination with Washington remains essential to counter these unrelenting threats and prevent wider chaos.

Neutral

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated on Monday that a rejected Iranian peace proposal offered a reasonable path to ending the conflict that began in late February, and accused the US side of making unreasonable demands while seeking only Iran's legitimate rights. US President Donald Trump described the proposal as unacceptable in a social media post, after which oil prices rose. Details of both sides' offers have not been fully disclosed, though some elements have appeared in media reports.

Western

Iranian officials are advancing a counterproposal that seeks to preserve Tehran's leverage over the Strait of Hormuz and regional influence without credible concessions on its destabilizing activities. President Trump has correctly rejected the offer as unacceptable, prioritizing verifiable measures to neutralize threats to global energy flows and Middle East security in coordination with Israeli leadership.

Sources

Jake JohnsonBy Jake Johnson

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US-Iran Peace Deal Live: Iranian President to visit Pakistan on Tuesday as peace talks yield 60-day roadmap

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Advertisement US-Iran peace deal US-Iran Peace Deal Live: Iranian President to visit Pakistan on Tuesday as peace talks yield 60-day roadmap New Delhi,UPDATED: Jun 22, 2026 19:20 IST US-Iran Peace Deal News Live Updates: US-Iran diplomacy gained momentum after a marathon round of talks in Switzerland produced what mediators Pakistan and Qatar described as a roadmap for a final agreement within 60 days.

US Vice President JD Vance said Tehran had agreed to allow nuclear inspectors into the country and work on mechanisms covering frozen Iranian assets, regional ceasefires and the Strait of Hormuz. Vance said discussions on nuclear inspections could begin as early as this week, while technical teams will remain engaged even after Iran's top negotiators returned to Tehran following 18 hours of intensive negotiations.

The talks also established a communication channel to help ensure safe commercial shipping through Strait of Hormuz and a mechanism aimed at preventing renewed fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. Despite the diplomatic progress, tensions remained visible.

Iran had briefly closed the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, accusing the United States of failing to uphold commitments to halt fighting in Lebanon. However, mediators said discussions were held in a constructive atmosphere and yielded encouraging progress.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to visit Pakistan on Tuesday in a trip expected to focus on bilateral cooperation and follow-up discussions on Islamabad's mediation efforts. Meanwhile, a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon largely held, marking the longest lull in violence in three months of conflict.

Lebanese officials reported near-total adherence to the truce despite isolated incidents, while Israeli leaders insisted any final agreement must ensure Iran cannot use future financial relief to support military activities or regional proxy groups.

Follow IndiaToday.in for the latest updates....Read More Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to arrive in Pakistan on a one-day visit on Tuesday. (File Photo: Press TV) 2 Jun 22, 2026 19:20 IST US-Iran Deal: Iranian President to visit Pakistan Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will make a one-day visit to Pakistan on Tuesday, Iranian officials said.

Habib Abbasi, director-general of public relations at the presidential office, said the trip will focus on implementing previous agreements and exploring new trade opportunities. Pezeshkian is also expected to "express appreciation" for Pakistan's role in mediating between Iran and the United States, according to Tasnim news agency.

Jun 22, 2026 19:14 IST US-Iran Deal: Here's what happened so far - US Vice President JD Vance said talks with Iran made significant progress, with Tehran agreeing to allow nuclear inspectors, establish mechanisms for handling frozen assets and support efforts to manage regional ceasefires.

- Speaking after negotiations in Switzerland, Vance said discussions on nuclear inspections could begin as early as this week and confirmed that technical talks would continue in the coming days and weeks. - Iran’s senior negotiating team departed Switzerland for Tehran after 18 hours of intensive discussions, while technical experts remained behind to continue work on the Islamabad memorandum of understanding.

- Pakistan and Qatar, which mediated the talks, said Washington and Tehran agreed on a roadmap aimed at reaching a final agreement within 60 days and described the first round of negotiations as encouraging. - The two sides also agreed to establish a mechanism to help prevent clashes in Lebanon and create a communications channel to safeguard commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil supplies.

- The talks followed an interim agreement reached last week and continued despite renewed tensions after President Donald Trump threatened military action against Iran and Tehran warned Washington over its rhetoric. - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to visit Pakistan on Tuesday for a one-day trip.

Iranian officials said he would discuss bilateral cooperation and express appreciation for Islamabad’s role in facilitating US-Iran diplomacy. - A ceasefire in Lebanon largely held on Monday, marking the longest period of relative calm in nearly three months of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, although isolated incidents were still reported.

- Lebanese security officials said adherence to the ceasefire had been "almost total" since Saturday evening, despite reports of limited Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon and drone flights over Beirut. - The conflict in Lebanon has remained a major test for the interim US-Iran agreement, with Tehran previously accusing Washington of failing to ensure an end to hostilities and briefly reimposing restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz.

- Vance said progress had also been made toward reducing tensions in Lebanon, while negotiators worked to establish safeguards aimed at preventing future escalation. - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran had secured waivers for oil and petrochemical exports, the release of some frozen assets and the launch of a reconstruction and development programme under the broader diplomatic framework.

- Oil prices, which surged after tensions disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, fell further after the latest round of talks, easing concerns about global supply disruptions. - Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the negotiations as constructive and said the first round of talks had concluded successfully, laying the groundwork for a broader peace agreement.

- Israeli officials signalled support for a diplomatic resolution but stressed that any final deal must ensure Iran cannot use financial relief or released assets to fund military activities or regional proxy groups.

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