Trump warns ‘clock is ticking’ for Iran to agree to peace deal or face total destruction

U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran on Sunday that "there won't be anything left of them" if Tehran does not quickly agree to a peace deal. The warning came as negotiations between Washington and Tehran have stalled, more than two months after the U.S. and Israel launched major strikes on Iran beginning February 28.

What did Trump say about Iran in his latest warning?

Trump posted the warning on his Truth Social platform, writing: "For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won't be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!" The message came on the same day Iranian media reported that the U.S. had offered no concrete concessions in its latest response to Iran's negotiation proposal.

Why have U.S.-Iran peace negotiations stalled?

Washington and Tehran agreed to a truce on April 8, but peace talks have made little progress since then, with sporadic attacks continuing on both sides. Iran has demanded a lasting ceasefire in Lebanon before agreeing to any broader peace deal, a condition that has frustrated Trump. Iranian media reported Sunday that the U.S. presented a five-point list of demands, including a requirement for Iran to keep only one nuclear site in operation and transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to the United States.

The U.S. also refused to release Iranian frozen assets abroad or pay war reparations, according to Iran's Fars news agency. Mehr news agency said the American position would lead to a deadlock, arguing Washington was seeking concessions it had failed to obtain during the war itself.

How has the Iran war affected global energy markets?

The conflict has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20 percent of global oil exports passed in peacetime, sending energy prices climbing. The war has also drawn Israel and Lebanon into a deadly side conflict. An Israeli military official said on Sunday that Hezbollah had fired around 200 projectiles at Israel and its troops over the weekend, despite an agreement between Israel and Lebanon to extend a ceasefire.

Iran, which is Hezbollah's principal patron, has made a lasting ceasefire in Lebanon a precondition for any broader agreement with the United States.