4 min readMay 12, 2026 05:42 AM IST
First published on: May 11, 2026 at 10:38 PM IST
US President Donald Trump on Monday said the already fragile ceasefire with Iran was now “on life support”, sharply escalating his criticism of Tehran’s response to a US-backed peace proposal and raising fears that the over two-month-old conflict could deepen further.
Speaking at the White House, Trump described Iran’s response as “a piece of garbage” and said he did not even finish reading it. “I would call it the weakest right now, after reading that piece of garbage they sent us, I didn’t even finish reading it”, he told reporters.
US-Iran ceasefire on ‘massive life support’: Trump
He later intensified the rhetoric, comparing the ceasefire to a critically ill patient. “I would say the ceasefire is on massive life support, where the doctor walks in and says, ‘Sir, your loved one has approximately a one-percent chance of living’,” Trump said.
The President also dismissed Tehran’s proposal outright as “a stupid proposal, and nobody would take it.” Earlier, he had posted on Truth Social that Iran’s response to Washington’s peace efforts was “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” and accused Tehran of “playing games” with the United States for decades.
Iran backed away from removing ‘enriched uranium’ agreement: Trump
Trump claimed Iran had initially agreed to hand over its enriched uranium stockpile before changing its position, according to Al Jazeera. “They said you’re going to have to take it. We were going to go with them. But they changed their mind because they didn’t put it in the paper,” he said.
Reuters separately reported that Trump claimed Iran was willing to give the US “the nuclear dust”, referring to its enriched uranium stockpile, and said only the United States and China had the capability to retrieve it.
Calling Iran’s leadership “lunatics”, Trump reiterated that his position remained unchanged. “The plan is they cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
Diplomacy still ‘possible’: Trump
Despite his sharp criticism, Trump said a diplomatic breakthrough with Tehran was still possible. “I think it’s very possible. I’ve had a deal with them four or five times, they change their mind,” he told reporters, while calling Iran’s leadership “very dishonourable”, Al Jazeera reported.
Iran, meanwhile, had defended its response to Washington’s proposal, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei saying the US continued to make “unreasonable demands” and insisting Tehran’s reply was “not excessive”.
Considering reviving ‘Project Freedom’: Trump
Trump also iterated he was preparing for a high-level military briefing on Iran at the White House and was also considering reviving “Project Freedom”, a maritime security initiative focused on the Strait of Hormuz, in a telephonic interview to the Fox News. The US president linked the conflict to broader Gulf instability, describing Iran’s missile attacks on Gulf countries as a “tremendous strategic mistake”.
The latest exchange has fuelled concerns over the future of negotiations aimed at ending the conflict that has disrupted global oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran’s response, delivered via Pakistan according to Iranian media, reportedly demanded an end to the war on all fronts, compensation for war damage, lifting of sanctions, removal of the US naval blockade and guarantees against future attacks.
The continuing tensions have already rattled global energy markets. Oil prices rose sharply after Trump rejected Iran’s response, with Brent crude climbing above $105 per barrel amid fears of prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at an event Monday, May 11, 2026, in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington. (AP Photo)
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