As the high-stakes Trump-Xi face-off inches closer, Iran has dug in its heels, refusing to retreat or soften its position despite mounting global pressure and fears of a wider geopolitical explosion. In a dramatic escalation, Tehran formally submitted its defiant response to Washington, with Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson launching a fierce attack on U.S. demands and insisting that Iran’s “legitimate rights” are non-negotiable. The tensions intensified further after President Donald Trump tore into Iran’s latest ceasefire proposal, dismissing it as “a piece of garbage” and exposing the deepening collapse of backchannel diplomacy.