Iran’s chief negotiator on Tuesday (May 12, 2026) issued an ultimatum to the United States to accept the conditions in Tehran’s 14-point proposal for peace in the West Asia war or face “failure”.

The defiant message came after U.S. President Donald Trump rejected the latest counteroffer from Iran and said that a fragile ceasefire in place since April 8, 2026 was on “life support”.

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But Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Washington had to accept Tehran’s “rights” if it wanted to end more than two months of conflict, as peace talks remain deadlocked after an initial round failed to produce a breakthrough last month.

“There is no alternative but to accept the rights of the Iranian people as laid out in the 14-point proposal. Any other approach will be completely inconclusive; nothing but one failure after another,” said Mr. Ghalibaf in a post on X.

“The longer they drag their feet, the more American taxpayers will pay for it.”

Iran has refused to back down in its war with Washington, with military officials warning they are prepared to respond to any renewed U.S. attack.

It has choked traffic through the key Strait of Hormuz trade route, rattling global markets and giving it vital leverage, while the U.S. has imposed its own naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Details of the latest U.S. proposal remain limited, though media reports say it involves a one-page memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the fighting and establishing a framework for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said its response called for ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, halting the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports and securing the release of Iranian assets frozen abroad under longstanding sanctions.

It did not elaborate on what Iran would offer in return.

On Tuesday (May 12, 2026), the spokesman for Iran’s Parliamentary National Security Commission said lawmakers would consider the possibility of enriching uranium to weapons-grade levels if conflict resumed.

“One of Iran’s options in the event of another attack could be 90% enrichment. We will examine it in parliament,” Ebrahim Rezaei wrote in a post on X.

Tehran possesses a significant stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity, with roughly 90% required for a nuclear weapon.

Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium remains a key sticking point in negotiations with the United States, which insists the material must be transferred out of the country.

Iran has so far refused to move its enriched uranium stockpile abroad and insists on its right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, though it has said the level of enrichment remains “negotiable”.

Iran’s atomic energy chief Mohammad Eslami said no country can deprive the Islamic republic of its right to nuclear enrichment, after U.S. President Donald Trump again hinted at military action following talks in Geneva.

“The basis of the nuclear industry is enrichment. Whatever you want to do in the nuclear process, you need nuclear fuel,” said Mr. Eslami, according to a video published by Etemad daily on Thursday (February 19, 2026).

“Iran’s nuclear programme is proceeding according to the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and no country can deprive Iran of the right to peacefully benefit from this technology.”

The comments follow the second round of Oman-mediated talks between Tehran and Washington in Geneva on Tuesday (February 17).

The two foes had held an initial round of discussions on February 6 in Oman, the first since previous talks collapsed during the 12-day Iran-Israel war in June.

The United States briefly joined the war alongside Israel, striking Iranian nuclear facilities.

On Wednesday (February 18), Mr. Trump again suggested the United States might strike Iran in a post on his Truth Social site.

He warned Britain against giving up sovereignty over the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, saying that the archipelago’s Diego Garcia airbase might be needed were Iran not to agree a deal, “in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous regime”.

Washington has repeatedly called for zero enrichment, but has also sought to address Iran’s ballistic missile programme and its support for militant groups in the region — issues which Israel has pushed to include in the talks.

Western countries accuse the Islamic republic of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.

Tehran denies having such military ambitions but insists on its right to this technology for civilian purposes.

Mr. Trump, who has ratcheted up pressure on Iran to reach an agreement, has deployed a significant naval force to the region, which he has described as an “armada”.

After sending the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and escort battleships to the Gulf in January, he recently indicated that a second aircraft carrier, the Gerald Ford, would depart “very soon” for the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Iranian naval forces this week conducted military drills in the Gulf and around the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Separately, the Iranian and Russian navies held on Thursday (February 19) joint drills in the Sea of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean, which the official IRNA news agency later announced had ended.

U.S. President Donald Trump ​said on Monday (February 16, 2026) that he would be ‌involved “indirectly” in talks between Iran and ​the U.S. over Tehran’s nuclear program ⁠set to begin on Tuesday (February 17, 2026) in Geneva, adding he believed Tehran wanted to make a deal.

“I’ll ‌be involved in those talks, indirectly. And they’ll be very important,” Mr. Trump ‌told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Tensions ‌are ⁠soaring ahead of the talks, ⁠with the U.S. deploying a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East. The U.S. military is preparing for the ​possibility of a ‌sustained military campaign if the talks do not succeed, U.S. officials have told Reuters.

Asked about the prospects for a deal, Mr. Trump ‌said Iran sought tough negotiations but learned ​the consequences of such a hardened stance last summer when the U.S. ⁠bombed Iranian nuclear sites.

Mr. Trump suggested Iranians were motivated this time to negotiate.

“I don’t think they want ‌the consequences of not making a deal,” Mr. Trump said.

Prior to the U.S. joining Israel in striking Iranian nuclear sites in June, Iran-U.S. nuclear talks had stalled over Washington’s demand that Tehran forgo enrichment on ‌its soil, which the U.S. views as a pathway ​to an Iranian nuclear weapon.

Iran’s civil defence organisation on Monday (February 16, 2026) held a ⁠chemical defence drill in the Pars Special Economic ⁠Energy Zone to strengthen preparedness for potential chemical incidents in the energy hub ‌located in southern Iran.

A day after U.S. President Donald Trump warned that time was running out for Iran to reach a deal on its nuclear programme, Tehran said on Thursday that its armed forces had their “fingers on the trigger”, and vowed to respond with “unprecedented” response, targeting “all those supporting the aggressor”.

“Our brave Armed Forces are prepared — with their fingers on the trigger — to immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression against our beloved land, air, and sea,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a social media post, in response to Mr. Trump’s warning that “a massive armada” was heading towards Iran.

“Hopefully Iran will quickly come to the table and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – No nuclear weapons,” Mr. Trump said on Wednesday, adding that if Iran failed to do so, the U.S. forces deployed to West Asia were “ready to rapidly fulfil” their mission, “with speed and violence”.

Mr. Araghchi said Iran was ready for a “fair and equitable” deal, but not for coercion. “Iran has always welcomed a mutually beneficial, fair and equitable NUCLEAR DEAL— on equal footing, and free from coercion, threats, and intimidation — which ensures Iran’s rights to PEACEFUL nuclear technology, and guarantees NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS,” he wrote. “Such weapons have no place in our security calculations and we have NEVER sought to acquire them.”

But he added that Iran would respond to force with force. “The valuable lessons learned from the 12-Day War have enabled us to respond even more strongly, rapidly, and profoundly,” said Mr. Araghchi, referring to the June 2025 Israeli-U.S. attack on Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had declared a “historic victory” after the June war, and Mr. Trump had claimed that his strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities. But Mr. Trump has now shifted his focus back to Iran’s nuclear programme, asking Tehran to reach a deal without delay.

Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and an advisor of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said a limited U.S. strike is an “illusion”. “Any military action by ‌the U.S. — from any origin and at any level — will be considered the ‌start of war⁩, and its response will be immediate, ‌all out⁩, and unprecedented, targeting [the] heart of ‌TelAviv⁩ and all those supporting the aggressor,” he wrote in a social media post in Arabic, Hebrew, Russian, Chinese and English.

Earlier in the day, CNN reported that Mr. Trump was considering “a major new strike” on Iran after preliminary talks between Washington and Tehran over the country’s nuclear programme and ballistic missile production failed to make progress. The options he is weighing include strikes on Iran’s leadership and nuclear, military and government institutions, according to the report.

Mr. Trump had earlier threatened to use force if Iran killed protesters. After Iranian authorities cracked down on the protests — in which thousands are feared killed — Mr. Trump appeared to back off, saying Tehran had said it would not hang protesters. But after moving more fighter jets, missile defence systems and USS Abraham Lincoln strike group to West Asia, Mr. Trump stepped up his threats.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran was open for “genuine” dialogue and diplomacy, but Mr. Trump has so far proved that he seeks to impose his political views through the threat of war. “As long as there are no guarantees for the rights of the Iranian nation, [as long as] the economic interests and benefits of the Iranian nation are not secured, and [as long as] the dignity of the Iranian nation is not respected, naturally there can be no talk of negotiations because we do not consider dictation, imposition, or surrender as negotiation,” Mr. Ghalibaf, a veteran of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, said in an interview.

Iranian authorities unveiled a new mural on a giant billboard in a central Tehran square on Sunday (January 25, 2026) with a direct warning to the United States to not attempt a military strike on the country, as U.S. warships head to the region.

The image shows a bird’s-eye view of an aircraft carrier with damaged and exploding fighter planes on its flight deck. The deck is strewn with bodies and streaked with blood that trails into the water behind the ship to form a pattern reminiscent of the stripes of the American flag. A slogan is emblazoned across one corner: “If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind.” The unveiling of the mural in Enghelab Square comes as the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and accompanying warships move toward the region. US President Donald Trump has said the ships are being moved “just in case” he decides to take action.

“We have a massive fleet heading in that direction and maybe we won’t have to use it,” Mr. Trump said on Thursday (January 22).

Enghelab Square is used for gatherings called by the state and authorities change its mural based on national occasions. On Saturday (January 24), the commander of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard warned that his force is “more ready than ever, finger on the trigger.”

Tension between the U.S. and Iran has spiked in the wake of a brutal crackdown on nationwide protests that saw thousands of people killed and tens of thousands arrested. Mr. Trump had threatened military action if Iran continued to kill peaceful protesters or carried out mass executions of those detained.

There have been no further protests for days and Mr. Trump claimed recently that Tehran had halted the planned execution of about 800 arrested protesters — a claim Iran’s top prosecutor called “completely false.”

But Mr. Trump has indicated he is keeping his options open, saying on Thursday (January 22) that any military action would make last June’s U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites “look like peanuts.”

U.S. Central Command said on social media that its Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle now has a presence in the Middle East, noting the fighter jet “enhances combat readiness and promotes regional security and stability.”

Similarly, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said on Thursday (January 22) that it deployed its Typhoon fighter jets to Qatar “in a defensive capacity.”

The protests in Iran began on Dec 28, sparked by the fall of the Iranian currency, the rial, and quickly spread across the country. They were met by a violent crackdown by Iran’s theocracy, which does not tolerate dissent.

The death toll reported by activists has continued to rise since the end of the demonstrations, as information trickles out despite a more than two-week internet blackout — the most comprehensive in Iran’s history.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency on Sunday (January 25) put the death toll at 5,848, with the number expected to increase. It says more than 41,280 people have been arrested.

The group’s figures have been accurate in previous unrest and rely on a network of activists in Iran to verify deaths. That death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest there in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify the toll.

Iran’s government has put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labelled the rest “terrorists.” In the past, Iran’s theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest.

Iran’s ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali on Saturday (January 24, 2026) appreciated India’s stand to vote against a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution addressing the deteriorating human rights situation in connection with the nationwide protests which began on December 28, 2025.

In the 39th special session on January 23, the UNHRC adopted the resolution in which it extended the mandate of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran for two years, and the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran for one year. “The resolution also called for an urgent investigation by the Fact-Finding Mission, in the context of the repression of nationwide protests beginning 28 December 2025,” read a statement issued by the UNHRC.

The resolution was adopted by a vote of 25 in favour, seven against and 14 abstentions. India’s vote placed it among a minority of states rejecting the measure, while several others abstained.

Reacting to India’s vote, in a statement on X, Mr. Fathali wrote: “I extend my sincere gratitude to the Government of India for its principled and firm support of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the UNHRC, including opposing an unjust and politically motivated resolution. This stance reflects India’s commitment to justice, multilateralism, and national sovereignty.”

During the special session, Iran, speaking as the country concerned, said the sponsors of this session had never genuinely cared for the human rights of Iranians, otherwise, they would not have imposed sanctions which impacted the lives of Iranians and supported Israel’s war against the State, the UNRC statement read.

As of Friday (January 23, 2026), the death toll from Iran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests reached at least 5,002 people, activists said, warning many more still were feared dead as the most-comprehensive internet blackout in the country’s history crossed the two-week mark.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency offered the death toll, saying 4,716 were demonstrators, 203 were government-affiliated, 43 were children and 40 were civilians not taking part in the protests. It added that more than 26,800 people had been detained in a widening arrest campaign by authorities.

Situation remains tense as U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday (January 22, 2026) that the U.S. is moving the ships toward Iran “just in case” he wants to take action.

A U.S. Navy official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military movements, said that the Lincoln strike group is currently in the Indian Ocean.

Iran will treat any attack “as an all-out ‍war against us,” a senior Iranian official said ​on Friday (January 23, 2026), ahead of the arrival of ‌a U.S. military aircraft carrier strike group ​and other assets in the Middle East in the coming days.

“This military buildup – we hope it is not intended for real confrontation – but our military is ready for the worst-case scenario. This is why everything is on high ​alert in Iran,” said the senior Iranian official, ⁠speaking on condition of anonymity.

“This time we will treat any attack – limited, unlimited, surgical, kinetic, whatever they call it – as ​an all-out war against ⁠us, and we will respond in the hardest way possible to settle this,” the official said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday ‌(January 22, 2026) that the United States had an “armada” heading toward ‌Iran but hoped he would not have to use it, as he renewed ‍warnings to Tehran against killing protesters or restarting its nuclear program.

“If the Americans violate Iran’s ‍sovereignty and territorial integrity, we will respond,” said the Iranian official. He declined to specify what an Iranian response might look like.

“A country under constant military threat from the United States has no option but to ensure that everything at its disposal can be used to push back and, ⁠if possible, restore balance against anyone who dares to attack Iran,” the official said.

The U.S. ​military has in the past periodically sent increased forces ⁠to the Middle East at times of heightened tensions, moves that were often defensive. However, the U.S. military staged a major buildup last year ahead of its June strikes ⁠against Iran’s nuclear program.