US President Donald Trump said the fragile ceasefire efforts between Washington and Tehran remain extremely uncertain, describing the situation as being on “life support” amid escalating tensions in the Gulf region and continuing instability around the Strait of Hormuz.

“The ceasefire is on massive life support, where the doctor walks in and says, ‘Sir, your loved one has approximately a one percent chance of living,’” Trump remarked while addressing reporters, underscoring growing doubts about the prospects for a diplomatic breakthrough.

The comments came as Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Tehran had responded to the latest American proposal by demanding an end to hostilities across the region, the lifting of the US naval blockade, and the release of frozen Iranian assets held abroad.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran was not seeking concessions beyond what it described as its legitimate rights.

“We did not demand any concessions. The only thing we demanded was Iran’s legitimate rights,” Baqaei stated during a weekly press briefing.

According to Iranian officials, Tehran’s proposal included calls for an immediate halt to military operations in the region, removal of restrictions affecting maritime movement near the Strait of Hormuz, and the release of Iranian financial assets that have remained frozen under years of sanctions.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most strategically important shipping corridors, carrying a significant portion of global oil and energy supplies. Continued instability in the region has already triggered fuel supply concerns and rising energy prices in multiple countries.

Meanwhile, tensions escalated further after South Korea strongly condemned an attack on a commercial cargo vessel operated by a Korean shipping company earlier this month in the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel reportedly suffered damage and a fire in its engine room following the incident.

South Korean officials said forensic experts have conducted preliminary examinations of the damaged ship, while authorities continue investigating the source of the attack.

Trump has already rejected Iran’s latest diplomatic proposal, calling Tehran’s response “totally unacceptable” without publicly disclosing specific objections.

The standoff comes amid growing pressure from some Republican leaders urging the Trump administration to consider stronger military measures if negotiations fail.

The ongoing crisis began in late February and has since evolved into one of the most serious confrontations in the Gulf region in recent years. Military exchanges, naval blockades, attacks on commercial vessels, and repeated threats to international shipping have significantly raised concerns among global powers over the possibility of a broader regional conflict.

Despite continuing mediation efforts involving regional and international actors, uncertainty remains high as both Washington and Tehran continue to exchange warnings while diplomatic negotiations struggle to gain momentum.