US Iran war highlights: Trump says ceasefire is 'on life support'; Iran speaker says army ready to ‘teach a lesson'

US Iran war news LIVE: US President warned the ceasefire in the West Asia war was on "life support" on Monday.

This live blog has ended. US Iran war news highlights: US President Donald Trump warned the ceasefire in the West Asia war was on "life support" on Monday after rejecting the latest counteroffer from Iran, which said its military stood ready to respond to any act of aggression. The ceasefire has been in place since April 8, but the diplomatic efforts during this time to end the war have fallen flat.

Talks between the US and Iran halted on Monday after Trump rejected Tehran's response to his proposal calling it “totally unacceptable.” Iran sent its response to the latest US proposal on Sunday morning through Pakistan, who has come up to be the main mediator between the two nations.

Inside Iran's response to US peace proposal

In its response to the US peace proposal, Iran called for an immediate halt to the war and demanded a guarantee that no fresh attacks will be launched against the Islamic Republic, Tasnim reported. It also demanded compensation for war-related damage and recognition of the Islamic Republic’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported.

The response also called for the US office of foreign assets control (OFAC) to lift sanctions on Iranian oil sales for a 30-day period, along with an end to the naval blockade on Iran, as per the report. Iran’s demands also include “Iranian management of the Strait of Hormuz if certain commitments are undertaken by the US”, the source told the news agency. However, they did not specify what those commitments would involve.

The proposed deal reportedly includes a 30-day negotiation period after the fighting ends to work out further details, Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen reported, citing sources. It also mentioned that talks between Tehran and Washington will continue in written form through the Pakistani mediator for the time being, as per the report.

Iran executes man accused of spying for Israel, US

Iran said Monday it had executed a man accused of spying for Israel and the United States, marking the latest in a string of executions carried out during its ongoing conflict with the two countries.

According to the judiciary’s Mizan Online website, “Erfan Shakourzadeh was executed for cooperating with the US intelligence service and Israel’s Mossad.”

Trump to visit China this week

Trump is scheduled to visit China from May 13 to 15, Beijing confirmed on Monday. The two leaders are expected to discuss trade and situation in Iran. Trump seeks to pressure Chinese President Xi Jinping on Iran while aiming to ease trade tensions, according to US officials, AFP reported.

"At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President of the United States of America Donald J. Trump will pay a state visit to China from May 13 to 15," a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said.

What is the situation in the Strait of Hormuz?

Iran’s military has warned nations imposing sanctions on Tehran that they will “face problems” when their vessels pass through the Strait of Hormuz, CNN reported citing state media on Sunday.

“From now on, countries that follow the United States in enforcing sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran will certainly face problems passing through the Strait of Hormuz,” said Brigadier General Amir Akraminia, the Army’s spokesperson.

The US has imposed a wide range of sanctions against Iran for decades, placing a stranglehold on its economy. Other countries, including the European Union bloc, Britain and Australia, have followed suit, voicing concerns around Tehran’s weapons programs, human rights record and the funding of militant groups, CNN reported.

Washington imposed a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz after first peace talks in Islamabad failed to reach a common consensus. Last week, the US and Iran indulged in an exchange of attack on Hormuz, further lowering the chances of a peace proposal to end the 10-week-long war.

‘You go in, you take it out’: Netanyahu on Iran's uranium

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said there is “work to be done” in Iran as he acknowledged that Iran still possesses the capabilities it had at the start of the war. “Now, we’ve degraded a lot of it, but all of that is still there. and there’s work to be done,” Netanyahu said in an interview with CBS ‘60 Minutes.’

“I’m not going to talk about military means, but what President Trump has said to me – ‘I want to go in there’ – and I think it can be done physically,” he said. “That’s not the problem. If you have an agreement, and you go in and you take it out. Why not? That’s the best way.”