Iran has reportedly rejected a cease-fire proposal presented by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on behalf of President Donald Trump, according to The New York Times. Al-Zaidi, who had recently met with Trump at the White House, presented the deal to top Iranian officials in Tehran.
The terms of the rejected truce remain unclear, but Iranian officials stated it was the "only offer on the table" and a "temporary deal" that did not address the crucial issue of control over the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, lead negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were among those who met with al-Zaidi and the Iraqi delegation.
During a state-run television broadcast, Araghchi commented that while al-Zaidi shared his "views and impressions" from his Washington trip, he argued that an additional mediator was unnecessary. "The problem is not passing messages," Araghchi stated, according to The Times. "The problem is America’s outlook, which is illogical, greedy and controlling."
This rejection comes as U.S. forces have conducted airstrikes against Iran for 13 consecutive nights. President Trump indicated he is considering a "massive attack" to pressure the regime. "I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than anything we have ever had before. I am close to making a decision. We are fully prepared for it," Trump told Israel’s Channel 12 on Thursday. He suggested Israel would join the operation if asked but emphasized that the U.S. "don’t need anybody" to proceed.
U.S. Central Command stated that Thursday's airstrikes targeted Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime capabilities. The objective, according to CENTCOM, was "to further diminish the threat Iran poses to civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz." The command also affirmed on X that the "international waterway remains open for transit despite recent attacks from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," and that "Commercial vessels continue to freely navigate the strait with US military support."
