Iran defends 2-day proposal for peace talks after U.S. rejects ‘outrageous’ conditions

President Donald Trump said on Monday that he considers the US-Israel war on Iran "effectively" at an end, following a closed-door meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Al Jazeera reported. Trump said Iran militarily is "effectively over" and that the US is "locked and loaded, ready to go for any reason that changes," while maintaining the US naval blockade against Iranian ports and the newly announced Task Force Iron Gate, which seeks to cut off trade by land and through the Caspian Sea.

Qatar's prime minister hailed progress after the meeting, writing on social media that they discussed ways to progress US-Iran talks and were grateful for "positive discussions on reaching a deal and bringing peace to the region." He reportedly presented Trump with a two-day proposal from Iran to end the war.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had called for an end to what he described as "neither war nor peace," and that Iran was open to further negotiations but would not be coerced, according to Iranian media cited by Al Jazeera. "We will not surrender to force and bullying," Pezeshkian said.

Iranian officials have pushed for the US to accept seven conditions to end the war, including lifting US sanctions, releasing frozen Iranian funds, recognising a new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz worked out with Oman, and ending the war on all fronts, including Israel's attacks on Lebanon.

The war began on February 28, Al Jazeera reported, and has spilled into surrounding countries and roiled international trade. Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz soon after US and Israeli attacks began, and responded with missile and drone fire on Gulf neighbours including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE. Saudi Arabia has renewed its fight against the Iran-backed Houthis, and Israel began its occupation of southern Lebanon.

In recent days, the Trump administration announced "minor strikes" against Iran's Qeshm Island and offered a $20m reward for information about Iran's nuclear program. Iran has long denied seeking a nuclear weapon, saying its enrichment programme is for civilian energy generation.