Trump Says Iranian Counterproposal To End The War Is ‘Not Good Enough’ As Deadline To Attack Power Plants And Bridges Nears

President Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran’s counterproposal to end the war is “not good enough” as his deadline to attack infrastructure including power plants and bridges continues to near.

Speaking to press, Trump said “they’ve made a proposal, and it’s a significant proposal,” noting that, however, it wasn’t satisfactory. He did nonetheless note that the fact that Tehran sent a response is a “very significant step.” “They’re negotiating now, we’ll see what happens,” Trump added.

Citing Iranian official IRNA news agency, Reuters reported on Monday that Iran rejected the latest proposal for a ceasefire, saying it wanted a lasting end to the war. The counterproposal has 10 clauses, including an end to conflicts in the region, protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of sanctions and reconstruction, the outlet added.

The U.S.’s proposal revolved around a potential 45-day ceasefire that could lead to a permanent end of the war, Axios reported on Sunday.

President Donald Trump told the outlet on Sunday that “deep negotiations” are taking place and a deal can be reached. However, he also published an expletive-ridden social media post threatening Tehran: “Open the Fu—n’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.”

Tehran, however, has vowed “far more severe and expansive” retaliation if the U.S. moves forward with the threat. “If attacks on civilian targets are repeated, the next phases of our offensive and retaliatory operations will be far more severe and extensive, and the resulting damage and losses will be multiplied,” a spokesman for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said in a statement.

Moreover, recent U.S. intelligence reports obtained by Reuters noted that Iran is unlikely to give up control of the strait. The assessment is that Tehran’s grip on the key waterway, through which about 20% of the world’s energy moves, is the only real leverage the country has over the U.S.

Iran has said it will seek to control as a result of the ongoing war. “The Hormuz Strait regime will no longer be as it was in the past. The government is determined to turn the achievements on the ground into stable economic and security benefits for the country,” said Iranian Vice President Mohamed Reza Aref in late March.