Trump Criticizes Iran Response as Ceasefire Talks Remain Uncertain

2026-05-12

U.S. President Donald Trump on the 11th dismissed Iran’s response to a U.S. proposal aimed at ending the fighting as "stupid" and warned that the outlook for a ceasefire was "extremely fragile." He expressed frustration that Iran had rejected an arrangement that would have promised not to possess nuclear weapons.

Strong Criticism of Iran's Response

Speaking to reporters at the White House, he also said Iran’s reply was "garbage" and that he "couldn’t even finish reading it," describing the ceasefire as being "on life support."

As one of the conditions for ending the fighting, the United States has demanded that Iran pledge it will not pursue nuclear weapons. According to U.S. media, Iran indicated it was willing to discuss the nuclear issue in talks over the 30 days after the fighting ends, while opposing the dismantling of nuclear facilities.

Trump said, "They made us wait four days, but they should have done something simple that could be done in 10 minutes," arguing that they should have agreed not to have nuclear weapons. He also said, "They agreed to our proposal and then backed out."

He further claimed that Iran had once agreed to the recovery of highly enriched uranium buried in destroyed Iranian nuclear facilities. He said Iran could not extract the nuclear material on its own and had asked the U.S. to remove it.

Deep Divide Over Nuclear Issue

The U.S. had presented Iran with a memorandum for a broad agreement on nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz as part of efforts to end the fighting. On the 6th, Trump had said there was "a very good chance of reaching an agreement" with Iran, expressing hope for progress in talks.

However, the Trump administration also wanted to create a path to ending the fighting with Iran before the U.S.-China summit scheduled for the 14th to 15th. It is becoming harder for Trump to portray himself as having resolved Iran’s nuclear issue on his own and to show an advantage over China.

Iran is also seen as adjusting its response with U.S. intentions in mind. President Pezeshkian posted on social media on the 10th, saying, "The goal is to restore the rights of the Iranian people and protect the national interest," signaling that Iran would not bow to U.S. demands.

Iranian media reported on the 11th, citing a senior official from Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, that "nuclear technology is not on the negotiating table, and uranium enrichment is non-negotiable." It said preparations are underway to protect nuclear facilities and assets, stressing the need for the nuclear industry.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei also said the same day that Iran’s proposal was a reasonable one focused on ending the fighting, securing the Strait of Hormuz, and unfreezing frozen assets.

Military Tensions Continue

With negotiations deadlocked, there is still no sign of a way to ease tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Axios reported on the 11th that Trump plans to consult with his administration’s national security team, including about resuming military action. It also reported that U.S. officials do not believe Trump will order military action before returning from his trip to China.

The U.S. military is also considering resuming measures to support civilian shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump acknowledged in a phone interview with Fox News that it was under consideration, but said no final decision had been made.

When the support measures were announced on the 4th, the approach of U.S. warships and merchant vessels near the strait increased tensions with Iran. A situation has emerged that could easily lead to exchanges of military action.

On the 8th, the U.S. military attacked two Iran-flagged oil tankers that were trying to enter an Iranian port. It also said U.S. vessels had come under attack and that it had struck back at Iranian military positions. Iran said the U.S. attack violated the ceasefire agreement.

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