Trump Rejects Iran's Ceasefire Counterproposal

President Donald Trump rejected Iran's latest ceasefire counterproposal on Monday, declaring it "totally unacceptable" and a "piece of garbage" as the month-old truce between the United States and Iran teeters amid ongoing tensions over Tehran's nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

The counterproposal, relayed Sunday through Pakistani mediators, called for ending the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, lifting sanctions, releasing frozen assets, recognizing Iran's sovereignty over the strait and halting regional hostilities, including Israeli operations against Iran-backed groups in Lebanon. In return, Iran offered to dilute some highly enriched uranium and transfer the rest to a third country but refused to fully dismantle its nuclear facilities. U.S. and Israeli officials maintain complete dismantlement is necessary to prevent weapons development, while Iran insists its program is peaceful.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday on the White House South Lawn before departing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, Trump emphasized that economic pressures on Americans played no role in his negotiations. "Not even a little bit," he said when asked about...