By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2026-09-26 15:36:37 | Updated at 2026-09-26 17:02:19
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President Donald Trump insisted Saturday that the Iranians cannot have a nuclear weapon as he shot down their seven-day cease-fire proposal.
“I reject their proposal,” Trump told reporters at the White House before departing on a trip to Tennessee.
He indicated he didn’t want to relinquish US pressure on Tehran, saying the regime wants to make a deal to end the war.
“IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!!!” he posted on his Truth Social account shortly before his trip, where the president described the war-battered Iranians as negotiating from a position of weakness.
President Donald Trump speaks during an event about healthcare in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Washington. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
A plume of smoke rises after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Iran stepped up its attacks on economic targets and U.S. missions across the Middle East as the U.S. president warned it was “too late” for the Islamic republic to seek talks to escape the war. AFP via Getty Images“They want to make a deal where they open the Strait immediately because they’re losing so badly,” Trump said.
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the president had rejected Iran’s cease-fire proposal, which would have included reopening the Strait of Hormuz — and told aides he expects to resume bombing the country after the midterm elections.The plan would have also kickstarted fresh nuclear talk and required the US to lift its naval blockade, which has been choking Iran’s collapsing economy.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic issued another warning Saturday about the risks to US interests if Washington “makes a mistake,” the country’s Mehr news agency reported.
“Iran will not start the war, but if the enemy imposes it, Iran is ready to defend its security and territorial integrity,” said the statement, which the report attributed to the country’s military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.
But in a sign diplomatic channels remain open, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his team appear to be planning to remain in New York until Wednesday, Iran’s IRNA reported. They have been in New York since earlier this week for UN General Assembly meetings.
The White House did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
