WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump warned Iran on Sunday that it must quickly move toward a peace agreement or face severe consequences, as the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran continues to disrupt the Middle East and global energy markets.
Trump issued the warning in a post on Truth Social, saying Iran must act “fast” or “there won’t be anything left of them,” and adding that “time is of the essence.”
The statement comes as Washington and Tehran remain locked in conflict following joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran that began on February 28. The fighting has contributed to instability across the region and pushed energy prices higher, including through disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route.
US and Iranian officials have held intermittent talks since agreeing to a truce on April 8, but negotiations have stalled. Iranian state-linked media said the United States has not offered significant concessions in its latest proposal.
Iranian outlets reported that Washington’s proposal included limiting Iran’s nuclear operations to a single site and requiring the transfer of enriched uranium stockpiles to US custody. Iranian media also said the US rejected releasing frozen Iranian assets or providing compensation for wartime damage.
Regional hostilities continued over the weekend. Israeli officials said Hezbollah fired about 200 projectiles into Israel, while Lebanon’s health ministry reported that Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed five people, including two children.
Lebanese authorities said more than 2,900 people have been killed in Lebanon since the start of the conflict, including about 400 after a ceasefire took effect on April 17.
Iranian-backed armed groups in Iraq and Yemen have also carried out drone operations in the region, while an unidentified drone strike caused a fire near a nuclear power station in Abu Dhabi, according to Emirati authorities. Officials said there were no injuries and no radiation impact.
Diplomatic efforts continue with mediation from Pakistan. Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met in Tehran on Sunday with Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who said the conflict had further destabilized the region.
Ghalibaf said the US military presence in the Middle East had not provided security and had instead contributed to instability.
Trump also discussed Iran with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a recent summit. Trump said Xi assured him China was not preparing military assistance for Iran, while China said in a separate statement that regional shipping lanes should be reopened.
