Iran Says It Is Ready for Diplomacy and War as Trump Rejects Ceasefire Proposal

Iran Says It Is Ready for Diplomacy and War as Trump Rejects Ceasefire Proposal

Iran's top diplomat says the country is ready for diplomacy but also prepared for war after President Donald Trump rejected a proposed seven-day ceasefire.

The ceasefire proposal would have included reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global energy shipments.

Trump has maintained that the U.S. has already achieved some of its goals in the conflict, including targeting Iran's nuclear program.

"We no longer have to worry about nuclear weapons with Iran because they're wiped out," Trump said.

A top administration official said the president rejected Iran's proposal because he was not convinced Iran was negotiating in good faith.

The official said Iran was asking for concessions up front in exchange for a promise to begin negotiations over ending its nuclear program.

Iran's top diplomat defended the proposal during an exclusive interview with NBC's Meet the Press, saying what happens next is up to President Trump.

"We stand firm in the face of any new aggression, even if it comes to a doomsday war," the diplomat said. "But at the same time, we are ready, we stand ready for diplomacy."

The comments come as NBC News reports that eight U.S. Marines were injured in an Iranian strike on their ship in the Strait of Hormuz two weeks ago, according to three U.S. officials.

The officials said the Marines suffered injuries that included concussion symptoms and have since returned to duty.

U.S. Central Command declined to comment.

Iranian state media also reported that Iranian forces confronted multiple ships this weekend that were attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without permission.

Trump has continued to insist that the U.S. has control of the strait through a naval blockade.

"They don't have any money now because they wanted to close the strait," Trump said. "That's fine. We're going to close it on you."

The continued disruption around the Strait of Hormuz is also raising concerns about the broader impact on the global economy as the conflict continues.

In Washington, Alice Barr, NBC News.