US President Donald Trump on Sunday sharply increased pressure on Iran, warning that time was running out for Tehran to act. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said “the clock is ticking” and suggested Iran could face serious consequences if its leaders failed to move quickly. His warning came as tensions between Washington and Tehran continued to rise over stalled negotiations linked to the ongoing regional conflict.
Iran Accuses US of Destabilisation Campaign
At the same time, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States, Western countries, and their regional allies of trying to destabilise Iran through military and economic pressure.
According to Iranian state broadcaster Press TV, Pezeshkian said recent military actions against Iran aimed to trigger internal unrest and weaken the country’s political system.
“The primary objective of the United States and the Zionist regime in attacking Iran was to create internal instability and attempt to weaken and overthrow the Islamic system,” Pezeshkian said.
Iranian officials described the conflict as part of a larger campaign against the country’s leadership and governing structure.
Negotiations Remain Deadlocked
Iranian state-linked media also connected the rising tensions to the ongoing deadlock in talks between Tehran and Washington. Iranian outlets reported that the latest US response to Tehran’s proposed framework for ending the conflict failed to offer meaningful concessions.
The semi-official Fars News Agency reported that Washington presented a five-point proposal during negotiations. According to the report, the US demanded that Iran operate only one nuclear facility and transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to the United States.
Fars also claimed that Washington rejected Iran’s demands to release a large share of its frozen overseas assets. The report further said the US refused to discuss compensation for damage caused during the conflict that began on February 28.
Iran Rejects US Conditions
Iranian media said the United States wanted formal negotiations to begin before a ceasefire could take effect across conflict zones. Tehran reportedly viewed this position as a pressure tactic rather than a genuine peace effort.
The Mehr News Agency criticised the US approach and accused Washington of trying to gain through diplomacy what it could not achieve militarily during the conflict. The agency warned that the current US position could push negotiations into total collapse.
Iran Demands End to Sanctions
According to Iranian media reports, Tehran’s proposal called for a complete end to hostilities across all fronts. Iran also demanded a halt to Israeli military operations in Lebanon and requested the lifting of the US naval blockade imposed on Iranian ports since April 13.
Iranian officials further demanded the removal of all US sanctions and the release of Iranian assets frozen abroad under American restrictions. These demands matched earlier statements made by Iran’s foreign ministry.
Military Warnings Continue
As diplomatic tensions deepened, Iranian military officials issued fresh warnings against any possible new military action by the United States. The latest exchanges have further increased fears of wider instability in the Middle East as both sides remain divided over the future of negotiations.