Dubai: The Trump administration has offered a 15-point ceasefire plan to Iran, delivered via Pakistani intermediaries who have offered to host renewed negotiations, a person briefed on the plan said. The proposal reportedly touches on sanctions relief, civilian nuclear cooperation, a rollback of Iran’s nuclear programme, International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring, missile limits and access for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The move comes as the US military prepares additional deployments to the region: at least 1,000 more troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to supplement about 50,000 already in the area, and two Marine Expeditionary Units that would add roughly 5,000 Marines plus sailors.
Iran has insisted it is not negotiating with the US. Lt Col Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, mocked US efforts in a pre-recorded video aired on state television, saying the Americans were “negotiating with yourselves” and declaring, “Someone like us will never come to terms with someone like you. Not now, not ever.” He added that the US strategic power had become a “strategic failure” and warned against dressing defeat as agreement.
President Donald Trump has said the US is in talks with Tehran to end the war, and cryptically told reporters that Iran had given a “present” — “oil- and gas-related” — as a sign “we’re dealing with the right people,” without providing details.
Violence continues across the region. Iranian forces fired a dozen missile salvos at Israel on Tuesday; Israeli Brig Gen Effie Defrin said missile launches were heavier on the first two days but “dropped quickly” after Israeli strikes on military headquarters, launch sites and missile production facilities in Iran. A missile armed with cluster munitions exploded over Lebanon’s Keserwan region — the first time an Iranian missile was intercepted over Lebanese airspace in the conflict — causing some material damage, a Lebanese official said.
An Iranian missile strike on central Israel damaged an apartment floor in Bnei Brak; rescue services reported one man moderately wounded and six others lightly injured. Impact sites were reported in at least seven other locations in central Israel.
Iran’s atomic agency said a projectile struck the premises of the Bushehr nuclear power plant; no casualties or technical damage were reported. The IAEA confirmed it had been informed by Iran of the incident.
Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon said Israel is not part of any reported US-Iran talks and will continue military operations with the US. Reports have suggested Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf was floated as a possible US contact; Qalibaf has denied that discussions with the US are under way. Questions remain about his influence within Iran’s fractured leadership following the Feb. 28 airstrike that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Global leaders reacted to the conflict: Pope Leo XIV renewed appeals for ceasefire and dialogue, warning of growing hatred and displacement; UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned Israeli settlement expansion and steps towards West Bank annexation; and French President Emmanuel Macron urged Iran to engage in good-faith negotiations, end “unacceptable attacks” on regional targets, protect energy and civilian infrastructure, and restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
AP reporting contributed to this account.
