President Donald Trump said Monday that the current ceasefire with Iran is "on life support" after Tehran rejected a U.S. proposal aimed at ending the war in the Middle East.
"Unbelievably weak," Trump said when asked about the ceasefire. "I would call it the weakest right now after reading that piece of garbage they sent us. I didn't finish reading it. I'm not going to waste my time reading it."
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It comes a day after Trump posted on social media that he had reviewed Iran's response, but called it "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!"
"I have just read the response from Iran's so-called 'Representatives.' I don't like it," he said.
Iran's foreign minister fired back over the weekend with a historical warning, invoking a military battle from thousands of years ago.
"On a day like this in 53 BC, at the Battle of Carrhae, General Surena, with far fewer men and far more limited resources, crushed Rome’s heavily armored legions in a masterful 'asymmetric' victory," said Esmaeil Baqaei, head of Iran's center for public diplomacy.
"History repeats itself — for those who refuse to study it or respect its lessons," he added.
U.S. military forces in the Middle East remain on standby to board vessels violating the ongoing U.S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, with the possibility that U.S. service members may be called upon for additional operations.
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Meanwhile, Trump is preparing to travel to China later this week for a high-profile summit where Iran is expected to be a major topic of discussion. Over the weekend, he previewed one possible action, including resuming Project Freedom — a military effort to guide certain vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz.
On Capitol Hill, Democrats largely oppose the conflict, while Republicans are growing impatient with Iran. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina posted on social media:
"I appreciate President Trump's earnest efforts to seek a diplomatic solution to change the behavior of the Iranian terrorist regime. However, between their constant attacks on international shipping, the persistent attacks on our Middle Eastern allies and now a totally unacceptable response to America's diplomatic proposal, it is in my view, time to consider changing course," Graham said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed the conflict in an interview with CBS News' "60 Minutes" over the weekend, saying the war is "not over" and adding that Iran still possesses "nuclear material."
