Kamal Ghorui
Iran has reportedly declined US proposal for a short-term ceasefire, according to an unnamed source cited by the country’s semi-official Fars news agency. The offer, which called for a 48-hour halt in hostilities, was delivered on Wednesday via an unidentified intermediary nation, the source told Fars, as cited by Reuters. The rejection comes as the Middle East enters its fifth consecutive month of war, with no end in sight. Earlier o Friday (local time), Iran targeted another US aircraft near the Strait of Hormuz, bringing down an A-10 Warthog attack plane, US officials confirmed. The Iranian army claimed responsibility for the strike. This marks the second US jet hit by Iran this week, after an earlier strike that downed an F-15 fighter aircraft.As the war continues to escalate, efforts by regional countries, including Pakistan, to mediate between the two sides have also failed to make progress. Iran has conveyed to intermediaries that it does not intend to hold talks with US officials in Islamabad in the coming days and holds America’s demands as unacceptable. At the same time, Turkey and Egypt are also exploring alternative locations for potential discussions, with Qatar and Istanbul being considered.Tensions have also been fuelled by recent remarks from US President Donald Trump. A senior Iranian official dismissed Trump’s claim that Iran’s “new regime president” had sought a ceasefire. In response, the official rejected Trump’s social media post saying, “Iran’s New Regime President … has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE!”According to a senior Iranian source quoted by Reuters, Tehran is instead insisting on a guaranteed ceasefire that would permanently end the conflict. The source added that while intermediaries reached out on Tuesday to continue diplomatic engagement, there have been no discussions about a temporary truce.Iranian authorities have also pushed back publicly against Trump’s statements. The Consulate General of Iran in Mumbai criticised his remarks in a post on X, saying, “On April Fools’ Day, it’s almost poetic that Donald Trump still manages to outdo the jokes; talking about a “new” Iran president when Dr Pezeshkian has been in office all along.”“Reality check: presidents aren’t replaced by tweets… that’s what elections are for,” it added.Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry reiterated its stance, rejecting the claim that Tehran had sought a ceasefire. “Trump’s statements about Iran’s request for a ceasefire are false and baseless,” spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said, as quoted by state television.The development comes as the Middle East crisis crosses the one-month mark, with tensions still rising. After the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, Tehran responded by choking the key Strait of Hormuz, sending shockwaves through global oil markets.
