US President Donald Trump said Monday that a proposal for a ceasefire in the Iran war was a "very significant step," but not enough yet to end the conflict.
Trump's comments came after the White House confirmed that there was a deal under consideration for a reported 45-day truce.
"It's a significant proposal, it's a significant step. It's not good enough, but it's a very significant step," Trump told reporters on the sidelines of an Easter Egg Roll event at the White House.
"They are negotiating now," he added. "We'll see what happens."
Iranian state media reported that Tehran has rejected a truce to end the war that they labeled as an "American proposal."
Several countries are trying to find a diplomatic solution to end 38 days of war sparked by Israeli and US attacks against Iran, which has responded by firing missiles and drones at targets across the Middle East.
Trump has threatened mass strikes on Iran's power plants and bridges if it doesn't open the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday evening Washington time, a deadline he confirmed as final on Monday.
Under the gaze of First Lady Melania Trump and a mascot dressed as a giant Easter bunny, Trump doubled down at the White House event on his threats.
"If they don't, they'll have no bridges, no power plants, no anything. I won't go further because there are other things that are worse than those two," Trump told reporters.
Trump, in an expletive-laden social media post early Sunday, threatened strikes beginning Tuesday against Iran's civilian infrastructure, before delaying the deadline by one day.
- 'Not worried' -
Trump brushed off concerns on Monday that hitting Iran's power facilities and bridges -- a tactic that Russia has also used in its invasion of Ukraine -- would be a war crime.
"I'm not worried about it," Trump said when asked what he would say to those who allege that striking energy facilities would breach the laws of war. "You know the war crime? The war crime is allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon."
Asked again about the issue, he said Iran's leaders were "animals" who had killed tens of thousands of protesters.
Trump also said that if it were up to him, he would seize Iran's oil, but that "unfortunately, the American people would like to see us come home" and end the war.
"I'd keep the oil, and I would make plenty of money," Trump said.
The US president added that Americans who opposed the Iran war were "foolish."
"Because the war is about one thing. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon," Trump said.
Earlier in the day the White House confirmed there was a deal under consideration for a 45-day ceasefire with Iran, but that Trump had "not signed off" on the proposal and is continuing the war.
"This is one of many ideas, and POTUS (Trump) has not signed off on it. Operation Epic Fury continues," a White House official told AFP, adding that the president will speak more on the conflict at a press conference scheduled for 1:00 pm (1700 GMT).
