Tehran, as reported by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, has dismissed the recent ceasefire suggestion and is advocating for a permanent resolution to the conflict. The announcement coincided with U.S. President Donald Trump’s reiteration of a deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET or face potential attacks on its power facilities and other infrastructure targets.
During a press briefing in Washington on Monday, Trump emphasized the swift capability of the U.S. military to destroy Iran’s bridges and power plants within hours. He maintained that all bridges in Iran would be obliterated by midnight and described power plants in Iran as destined to be inoperable due to destruction by the military.
Trump declined to disclose if any civilian sites would be exempt from potential U.S. military action in response to the situation. However, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cautioned the U.S. against targeting civilian infrastructure, citing international law that prohibits such actions. Guterres’s spokesman emphasized that even if specific civilian structures could be viewed as military objectives, any attack risking excessive collateral civilian harm would be prohibited.
Despite concerns raised about potential war crimes, Trump expressed no apprehensions, stating he is “not at all” worried about committing such violations. Additionally, Trump highlighted that civilians in Iran are purportedly encouraging continued bombing, as per intercepted messages relayed to U.S. officials.
Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, the head of the Iranian diplomatic mission in Cairo, asserted to The Associated Press that Iran rejects a temporary ceasefire and insists on a conclusive end to hostilities with guarantees against future attacks. Discussions around the Strait of Hormuz involved Iranian and Omani officials devising a mechanism for overseeing the critical shipping passage.
Efforts to broker a 45-day ceasefire, advanced by Egyptian, Pakistani, and Turkish mediators, aimed to facilitate negotiations for a lasting peace amid the looming deadline set by Trump. Despite Tehran’s rejection conveyed through Pakistan, ongoing discussions between involved parties have not collapsed, according to a regional official involved in the diplomatic talks.
Furthermore, Trump detailed a rescue operation following the downing of a U.S. F-15E fighter jet in Iran and issued threats of legal action against the journalist responsible for disclosing the search for the downed pilot. The operation successfully rescued both airmen aboard the jet.
In a separate incident, Israel’s defense minister confirmed an attack on the South Pars petrochemical plant in southern Iran. The strike marked a notable escalation in the conflict that commenced with strikes on Iran by the U.S. and Israel. Israel’s actions triggered retaliatory attacks by Iran on oil and gas infrastructure across Gulf Arab states.
The heightened tensions led to a series of strikes and counterattacks between Israel, the U.S., and Iran, resulting in casualties and severe damage to infrastructure. Amid the escalating conflict, calls for diplomatic resolutions have been echoed by global leaders, emphasizing the need to avoid further escalation and prioritize negotiations for a peaceful outcome.