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Iran sends revised proposal through Pakistan as Trump rebuffs ceasefire terms

Iran says it sent a revised proposal to the US through Pakistan as ceasefire talks stall and tensions over the Strait of Hormuz rise.

By Sarwesh Sri Bardhan

May 19, 2026 01:01 IST

Iran on Monday said Pakistan had shared a revised Iranian proposal with the United States to try to end the conflict in the Middle East, even as both sides remained far apart on the terms of a deal.

A Pakistani source told Reuters that “we don’t have much time,” while Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that Tehran’s views had been “conveyed to the American side through mediator Pakistan.”

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A sharp rebuff

The latest exchange follows days of sharp back-and-forth between Tehran and Washington.

On Sunday, President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s response to a US peace proposal, calling it “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.”

The US had offered to end fighting before moving to more contentious issues, including Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran, meanwhile, has insisted on an end to hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon, along with compensation for war damage, the lifting of sanctions, and an end to the US naval blockade.

A frail perch

Baghaei said Iran was prepared for whatever comes next, telling reporters that Tehran was “fully aware” of how to respond to even the smallest mistake by the other side.

Trump warned last week that a ceasefire with Iran was “on life support" after Tehran’s response to the US proposal failed to bridge the gap between the two sides.

The dispute has centered on Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passed before the war broke out.

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Iran hands Hormuz a new watchman

At the same time, Iran announced a new body to manage the Strait of Hormuz.

The Supreme National Security Council posted about the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, or PGSA, on its official X account, saying it would provide “real-time updates on the #Hormuz_Strait operations and latest developments.”

It was not immediately clear what the new body would do, but the Iranian media had earlier described a system to exercise sovereignty over the waterway and send shipping regulations to vessels.

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