Trump: U.S.-Iran ceasefire on ‘massive life support’

President Donald Trump said Monday the U.S.-Iran ceasefire is on “massive life support” after he rejected Tehran’s latest proposal to lift sanctions and release frozen assets in exchange for talks on its nuclear program.

Iran’s offer would have included the release of frozen funds, the lifting of some sanctions and a halt to hostilities while the two sides entered broader negotiations on Iran’s nuclear activities. The White House called the proposal unacceptable; Trump described the plan as “garbage.” The administration demands the full dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program and a stop to uranium enrichment, with any sanctions relief tied to verified compliance.

Earlier this year, negotiators circulated a 14-point memorandum that would have required Iran to accept a moratorium on enrichment. That effort stalled. A senior U.S. official said, “We wanted an agreement, but now everyone understands where this is heading.”

U.S. officials have pointed to the Strait of Hormuz as a potential point of escalation. The narrow waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula carries a large share of daily global oil shipments. Officials are considering renewed sanctions and have not ruled out possible military options if Iran does not meet U.S. demands.

The Treasury Department has previously warned that Iranian actors have used cryptocurrencies to try to evade financial restrictions. Analysts and government officials say a new round of sanctions would likely prompt stepped-up enforcement against crypto networks suspected of facilitating sanctions evasion.

Tensions between the United States and Iran have long focused on Tehran’s nuclear program and related economic penalties. U.S. policy has combined sanctions with the threat of military action to press Iran to curb enrichment and allow inspections. The current standoff follows months of intermittent talks and failed efforts to bridge disagreements over verification and the extent of nuclear rollback required for sanctions relief.