Democracy Dies with Dictatorship
NY Times
May 11, 2026
Iran War Live Updates: Iran Lists Demands That Trump Deemed ‘Unacceptable’
Tehran said its conditions for a peace deal include U.S. war reparations, recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and an end to American sanctions, Iranian state media reported.
Here’s the latest
Iran’s demands for U.S. war reparations, recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and an end to American sanctions were among the conditions that President Trump has deemed “unacceptable,” Iran’s state-owned broadcaster reported on Monday.
The terms were detailed in a social media post by Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting after Mr. Trump on Sunday dismissed an Iranian counterproposal as “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.” Mr. Trump did not specify his objections to the deal, which was passed via Pakistani mediators.
The first two conditions would almost certainly be non-starters for the United States, while the third would be possible only if Iran is willing to make major concessions on its nuclear program, which it has shown no sign of being willing to do.
The comments showed how far apart the United States and Iran remained after a week of strikes in the Persian Gulf rattled their month-old cease-fire. The deal was intended to provide an opening to negotiate a more comprehensive peace deal and end Iran’s de facto blockade of the strait, a vital waterway for oil and gas shipments.
Small-scale attacks have continued around the Strait of Hormuz. On Sunday, the United Arab Emirates said it had again been attacked by Iranian drones, after several Iranian strikes this past week. Last week, American warships fired on military facilities along Iran’s coast after coming under attack, and struck at two Iranian-flagged oil tankers attempting to enter an Iranian port, the U.S. military said.
Iran’s military warned early Sunday that countries helping to enforce U.S. sanctions against Tehran would face “difficulties” passing through the strait.
Here’s what else we’re covering:
Oil prices: Oil prices rose and stock futures ticked down on Monday as investors reacted to Mr. Trump’s swift rejection of Iran’s response to a U.S. peace proposal.
Enriched uranium: In an interview with the syndicated news show “Full Measure” aired on Sunday, Mr. Trump said that the U.S. was surveilling Iran’s remaining enriched uranium stockpile and would “get that at some point.” The president’s comments on the stockpiles have been inconsistent; last month, he said he didn’t care about the uranium because it was buried “so far underground.”
Mixed messages: Last week, the White House sought to portray the military campaign against Iran as over. But in the “Full Measure” interview, Mr. Trump said it was inaccurate to say that combat operations were finished, adding that Iran was “defeated, but that doesn’t mean they are done.”
China summit: Mr. Trump hoped to have the conflict resolved by the time he headed to Beijing this week to meet with President Xi Jinping of China, who is eager to see an end to the conflict in Iran, which is Beijing’s closest partner in the Middle East.
May 11, 2026, 6:28 a.m. ET1 hour ago
Leo Sands and Sanam Mahoozi
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, appeared to sideline the thorny question of Iran’s nuclear ambitions on Monday, a key sticking point in the faltering negotiations with the United States. At a news briefing, Baghaei said: “We will discuss that when the time comes,” referring to decisions about Iran’s future nuclear capabilities. President Trump has repeatedly insisted that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons, while Iran has rejected U.S. proposals to suspend its nuclear program and hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The impasse has contributed to the two sides’ inability to negotiate a permanent cease-fire.
May 11, 2026, 6:02 a.m. ET1 hour ago
Iran’s state media reported what it said were the details of the Iranian response to the latest U.S. proposal to end the war, a response that President Trump called “unacceptable.” According to Iran’s state broadcaster, Tehran’s conditions included U.S. war reparations to Iran, the recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, and the end of American sanctions against Iran. The first two conditions would almost certainly be non-starters for the United States, while the third would be possible only if Iran is willing to make major concessions on its nuclear program, which it has been loath to do so far. Trump did not say what he objected to in Iran’s response.
Gasoline prices slip
Gas prices held steady on Monday at a national average of $4.52 for a gallon of regular, according to the AAA motor club. Despite prices inching down since Friday, drivers were still paying about 52 percent more per gallon since the war began.
Gas prices don’t move in lock step with crude, usually trailing increases or drops by a few days.
The average price of diesel fell a penny to $5.64 on Monday, up 50 percent since the start of the war.
The absence of any meaningful movement in peace talks over the last month suggests that the United States prefers reaching a deal, analysts at Deutsche Bank wrote in a note. But, they added, the uncertainty over who holds negotiating authority in Iran may be complicating progress.
“It remains an unusual conflict with little action now for a month,” the analysts wrote. “In simple terms though, as long as the Strait of Hormuz stays closed, markets remain on a knife edge.”