Day 72 | US awaits Iran’s response to proposal, despite exchange of fire

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Read more: Day 73 | Trump calls Iranian response to US peace proposal ‘totally unacceptable’

President Donald Trump said Sunday he has rejected Iran's response to a US proposal for ending the Middle East war, deeming it "totally unacceptable."

"I have just read the response from Iran's so-called 'Representatives.' I don't like it -- TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, without describing elements of Tehran's response.

Iranian media said Sunday that a report by the Wall Street Journal about Iran’s response to the US truce proposal is “unrealistic in important parts”.

Tasnim News Agency, citing an informed source, said the Iranian response emphasizes the necessity of an immediate end to the war and ensuring that Iran will not be attacked again

“Iran’s text also emphasizes the necessity of lifting US sanctions, ending the war on all fronts, and Iranian management of the Strait of Hormuz if certain commitments are fulfilled through the United States,” the report added.

Iran also insisted the US immediately end its naval blockade, immediately after signing the proposed initial understanding.

The Islamic Republic also wants the sanctions imposed by the US Treasury Department on Iranian oil to be lifted within a 30 day period.

The release of Iran's frozen assets with an initial understanding…is also part of Iran's text,” Tasnim added.

Iran sent its response to a US proposal to end the war in the region via Pakistan, Iranian state media reported on Sunday.

Iran's response to the latest US peace proposal focuses on "ending the war and maritime security", the ISNA news agency reported on Sunday.

The Wall Street Journal said in a report that the Iranian response failed to meet US demands for guarantees regarding Tehran’s nuclear program and its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

According to sources cited by the WSJ, Iran proposed ending the fighting and gradually reopening the Strait of Hormuz in parallel with lifting what it described as the US blockade.

The response also reportedly included a proposal to dilute part of Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile and transfer the remainder to a third country not affiliated with the United States.

Iran also demanded guarantees ensuring the return of the transferred uranium if negotiations collapse, the report said.

The sources added that Tehran expressed willingness to suspend uranium enrichment, provided the suspension lasts for less than 20 years.

However, the Iranian response rejected dismantling the country’s nuclear facilities, the WSJ added.

Iranian media response 

Iranian media said Sunday that a report by the Wall Street Journal about Iran’s response to the US truce proposal is “unrealistic in important parts”.

Tasnim News Agency, citing an informed source, said the Iranian response emphasizes the necessity of an immediate end to the war and ensuring that Iran will not be attacked again

“Iran’s text also emphasizes the necessity of lifting US sanctions, ending the war on all fronts, and Iranian management of the Strait of Hormuz if certain commitments are fulfilled through the United States,” the report added.

Iran also insisted the US immediately end its naval blockade, immediately after signing the proposed initial understanding.

The Islamic Republic also wants the sanctions imposed by the US Treasury Department on Iranian oil to be lifted within a 30 day period.

The release of Iran's frozen assets with an initial understanding…is also part of Iran's text,” Tasnim added.

Donald Trump is expected to press Chinese President Xi Jinping on Iran when he visits Beijing next week, a senior administration official said Sunday, as the US president seeks a deal to end the Middle East war.

"I would expect the president to apply pressure," the official said in a call with reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that Trump has done so in previous calls with the Chinese leader.

US President Donald Trump said Sunday Iran “will not be laughing anymore,” in a wide-ranging post on Truth Social that accused Tehran of exploiting previous US administrations and benefiting from major financial and diplomatic concessions over the past decades.

Trump argued that Iran had “played games” with the United States for 47 years since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, claiming that American leaders had repeatedly delayed confronting Tehran and allowed it to strengthen its regional position.

“Iran has been playing games with the United States, and the rest of the World, for 47 years (DELAY, DELAY, DELAY!), and then finally hit “pay dirt” when Barack Hussein Obama became President,” Trump said in his post.

“He was not only good to them, he was great, actually going to their side, jettisoning Israel, and all other Allies, and giving Iran a major and very powerful new lease on life.”

He slammed former President Barack Obama, whom he accused of pursuing policies that “jettisoned Israel” and provided Iran with a “major and very powerful new lease on life.”

In his post, Trump referenced the 2015 nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was signed under the Obama administration alongside other world powers. The deal lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program.

He also cited a 2016 US payment of about $1.7 billion, which was part of a legal settlement resolving a long-standing dispute over undelivered military equipment ordered by the Shah dating back to before the 1979 revolution.

“Every Bank in D.C., Virginia, and Maryland was emptied out — It was so much money that when it arrived, the Iranian Thugs had no idea what to do with it. They had never seen money like this, and never will again,” Trump said.

“It was taken off the plane in suitcases and satchels, and the Iranians couldn’t believe their luck.”

“For 47 years the Iranians have been “tapping” us along, keeping us waiting, killing our people with their roadside bombs, destroying protests, and recently wiping out 42,000 innocent, unarmed protestors, and laughing at our now GREAT AGAIN Country. They will be laughing no longer!”

US President Donald Trump warned Sunday of any attempts by Iran to access its enriched uranium, reportedly buried under sites struck in the 2025 war, and added that it is currently under surveillance by his country’s “Space Force”.

“We will get Iran’s enriched uranium at some point, whenever we want,” Trump said.

“We have it surveilled. I did a thing called Space Force, and they are watching that area. If somebody walked in, they can tell you his name, his address, and the number of his badge,” he continued.

“If anybody gets near the place, we will know about it, and we’ll blow him up.”

President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said that France had "never envisaged" a naval deployment in the Strait of Hormuz but rather a security mission that would be "coordinated with Iran".

At a news conference in Nairobi, Macron said he was sticking to his position after Iran warned of a "decisive and immediate response" to any French or British deployments in the strategic waterway.

Hezbollah kamikaze drone hitting an ‘Israeli’ soldier running through the military outpost in attempt to reach cover.

Iran warned Britain and France on Sunday that its armed forces would launch "a decisive and immediate response" to any warships being sent to the Strait of Hormuz, after Paris and London dispatched vessels to the region.

"We remind them that both in times of war and in times of peace, only the Islamic Republic of Iran can establish security in this strait and it will not allow any country to interfere in such matters," Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi posted on X.

Britain and France are leading efforts to create an international coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz, but only after a peace deal between the US and Iran is secured.

Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium must be "taken out" before the US-‘Israeli’ war against Iran can be considered over, ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview Sunday.

"It's not over, because there's still nuclear material -- enriched uranium -- that has to be taken out of Iran. There's still enrichment sites that have to be dismantled," Netanyahu said in an excerpt of an interview due to air later Sunday on CBS's "60 Minutes" program.

"You go in and you take it out," the ‘Israeli’ leader said when asked how the uranium could be removed.

Sirens sounded in northern ‘Israel’ on Sunday after the ‘Israeli’ Home Front Command reported a drone attack from Lebanon.

The alerts were activated in the settlements of Zar'it and Shomera near the Lebanese border.

Jordan strongly condemned the drone attack carried out against Kuwait today, describing it as a flagrant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.

The Kuwaiti military reported a drone attack against the country at dawn, weeks into a fragile ceasefire in the Middle East war.

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry described it as a “criminal attack”.

"At dawn today, the armed forces detected a number of hostile drones in Kuwaiti airspace, which were dealt with in accordance with established procedures," the general staff of the army said on X,

The statement did not specify the origin of the drones. However, Gulf countries throughout the war came under fire from hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles and drones targeting vital infrastructure and US military sites.

US President Donald Trump said he could resume combat operations against Iran, saying the US military struck “probably 70% of the targets”.

Asked whether he thinks combat in Iran is “over and done”, Trump answered: “No, I didn’t say that. I said they are defeated, but that doesn’t mean they’re done. We could go in for two more weeks and do every single target.”

“We’ve done probably 70% of the targets. We have other targets that we could conceivably hit. But even if we didn’t do that, it would take them many years to rebuild,” he added in statements to the Full Measure show with journalist Sharyl Attkisson.

Iran's response to the latest US peace proposal focuses on "ending the war and maritime security", local media reported on Sunday, shortly after Tehran said it had delivered its answer to Pakistani mediators.

"It should be noted that the main focus of Iran's response to the US proposal is on 'ending the war and maritime security' in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz," the ISNA news agency said, without offering further details.

Iran has delivered its response to the latest US proposal aimed at ending the conflict, according to Tasnim News Agency.

The agency said the reply from the Islamic Republic was sent today through a Pakistani mediator.

It added that the Foreign Ministry spokesperson had previously stated that Iran’s views and remarks on US proposals would be submitted after full review and final coordination.

According to the proposed framework, talks at this stage are expected to focus on ending the conflict in the region.

• A South Korean-flagged cargo vessel was targeted by two "unidentified" drones early Sunday morning while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
• The South Korean Foreign Ministry confirmed physical damage to the ship’s hull, though no casualties were reported among the crew.

Authorities in South Korea announced on Sunday, that a national cargo vessel came under aerial fire while navigating the Strait of Hormuz.

According to preliminary reports, the vessel was struck by two suicide drones of unknown origin.

The impact caused noticeable structural damage to the ship's exterior, but the ministry emphasized that all crew members remained uninjured and the vessel’s propulsion systems were not critically compromised.

Seoul’s diplomatic and security response

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul issued an immediate statement confirming they are in direct communication with the ship's owners and regional maritime authorities.

"We are working to determine the full circumstances of the attack and ensure the safety of our maritime navigation in the region," a ministry spokesperson stated.

South Korea has reportedly requested the assistance of international naval coalitions operating in the area to provide escort for the damaged vessel as it proceeds to a safe harbor.

Rising maritime insecurity

This attack is the latest in a rapid succession of maritime incidents on Sunday that have targeted vessels linked to various nations, including Qatar and the UAE. The targeting of a South Korean vessel -a major energy consumer- raises international alarms regarding the stability of global supply chains.

As the tension continues to spill into the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz has become a frontline of economic warfare, with Tehran previously warning that countries cooperating with US-led sanctions would face "difficulty" transiting the waterway.

The UAE Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday that its air defense systems successfully intercepted and "dealt with" two hostile drones originating from Iran that attempted to penetrate Emirati airspace.

Major General Abdollahi, Commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, met with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Sunday to deliver an extensive report confirming that all branches of the Iranian Armed Forces -including the Army, IRGC, and Border Guard- have reached peak offensive and defensive readiness to deliver a "crushing and painful" response to any strategic error by "American-Israeli" forces.

• The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence announced the neutralization of two operational cells tied to 'Israel’s' Mossad.
• Authorities seized advanced weaponry, explosive drones, and Starlink communication equipment.

In a detailed statement released Sunday, the Ministry of Intelligence confirmed the dismantling of a four-person operational cell in West Azerbaijan province.

According to the report, the group was planning "terrorist operations against sensitive centers" and a specific assassination plot in Tehran.

During the confrontation with security forces -referred to as "the anonymous soldiers of Imam Zaman"- one operative was killed in a direct firefight before the remaining members were apprehended.

Surveillance and arrests

Simultaneous intelligence operations in Kerman and Alborz provinces led to the discovery of a second operational cell.

Security forces monitored the group’s movements, arresting the members before they could execute any hostile actions.

The Ministry stated that these cells were working under the direct guidance of 'Israeli' intelligence to destabilize the country following the recent military escalations.

Seizure of advanced military equipment

The Ministry showcased a wide array of equipment recovered from the detained operatives, highlighting the sophisticated nature of the planned attacks:

Aerial & transport: Multiple "small drones" (micro-UAVs) and a specialized transport vehicle for their deployment.

Firearms: Three handguns equipped with silencers, a Winchester shotgun, and a high-precision scoped sniper rifle.

Tactical gear: Bulletproof vests and a large stockpile of ammunition.

Communications: Several Starlink terminals, which the Ministry claims were being used to maintain secure, unmonitored links with foreign handlers.

Espionage at military facilities

In a separate but related development, security forces arrested an individual identified as "Masoud-T" at a northern border crossing.

Authorities described him as a "traitor" who attempted to smuggle classified documents and information out of the country.

The data allegedly pertained to a sensitive military center in Qazvin province.

Call for public vigilance

The Ministry of Intelligence concluded its announcement by urging the public to report any suspicious activity.

Citizens were directed to contact the Ministry's hotline (113) or use official channels on domestic messaging platforms like Eitaa, Bale, Rubika, and Soroush Plus (handle: @vaja113).

The statement emphasized that the security of the internal front remains a top priority as the "Third Imposed War" enters a critical reconstruction phase.