Iran says US ceasefire proposal 'insufficient' as strikes are reported on Qeshm Island

Iran cast doubt on the chances of a deal with the US on Tuesday, after the US carried out air strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island, with the fate of last-minute negotiations between the two sides uncertain. The air strikes, which occurred late on Monday, came after US President Donald Trump said he did not plan to attack Iran after the midterm elections and voiced hope for a deal. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said an agreement could be reached and that the government was “authorised” to renew a truce. However, on Tuesday, the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Major General Mohsen Rezaei, rejected an offer passed to Tehran from Qatari negotiators. Read more: Iran says US ceasefire proposal 'insufficient' as strikes are reported on Qeshm Island A picture taken on 30 April 2023 shows a general view of the Iranian island of Qeshm (Atta Kenare/AFP)