Iran has received an American plan to end the war in the Middle East - a proposal aimed even as Washington deploys paratroopers and additional marines to the region, AP reported on Wednesday, citing officials, writes UNN.
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Tehran has not confirmed receipt of the plan and has publicly rejected diplomatic efforts, while continuing attacks on Israel and Persian Gulf countries, including an attack that caused a large fire at Kuwait International Airport, the publication writes. Iran, it is stated, also continues to suffer attacks.
Two Pakistani officials who delivered the plan to Iran broadly described the 15-point proposal, saying it addressed sanctions relief, winding down Iran's nuclear program, missile restrictions, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which one-fifth of the world's oil supply is transported. An Egyptian official involved in mediation efforts said it also included restrictions on Iran's support for armed groups. Officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details that have not yet been released.
Some of these points, the publication writes, were unacceptable in pre-war negotiations: Iran insisted it would not discuss its ballistic missile program or support for regional militias, which it considers key to its security. And its ability to control passage through the Strait of Hormuz is one of its main strategic advantages.
AP notes that the Trump administration has reportedly offered Iran a ceasefire plan, even as it builds up its military presence in the region.
At least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division will be sent to the Middle East in the coming days, three sources familiar with the plans told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military plans.
US prepares 82nd Airborne Division and deploys aviation for possible strikes on Iran25.03.26, 04:17
Paratroopers are trained to land in hostile or disputed areas to secure key territories and airfields.
The Pentagon is also sending about 5,000 Marines, trained in amphibious operations, and thousands of sailors to the region.
The 15-point plan, now in Iran's hands, is a "comprehensive agreement" to achieve a ceasefire, according to an Egyptian official.
Mediators are pushing for possible face-to-face talks between Iranians and Americans, possibly as early as Friday in Pakistan, Egyptian and Pakistani officials said.
Pakistan prepares US-Israel-Iran talks in Islamabad - Bloomberg24.03.26, 10:04
Trump said the US is "now in negotiations" and that special envoy Steve Witkoff, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and US Vice President J.D. Vance are involved. He did not disclose who exactly from Iran they are in contact with, but said: "The other side, I can tell you, would like to make a deal."
Iran wants to negotiate with the US through Pence, not Witkoff or Kushner - Media25.03.26, 07:05
The central headquarters of the Iranian army "Khatam al-Anbiya", the commander of regular troops and the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, denied this. Iranian leaders have repeatedly denied that negotiations are underway, while acknowledging that the foreign minister maintains contact with various countries, but not with the US or Israel.
"Our first and last word from day one has remained unchanged, and will continue to be so: someone like us will never compromise with someone like you," Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Zolfaghari, the headquarters' press secretary, said in a video address shown on state television. "Neither now, nor ever."
Israeli officials, who had urged Trump to continue the war against Iran, were surprised by the submission of the ceasefire plan, according to a source familiar with the main provisions of the proposal.
Any negotiations between the US and Iran will face enormous difficulties, the publication notes. It is unclear who in the Iranian government has the authority to negotiate - or who will be willing to do so, as Israel has vowed to continue killing the country's leaders.
The Israeli military said Wednesday afternoon that it had completed several waves of airstrikes on Tehran. The army also said that as part of its strikes the day before, it had targeted an Iranian submarine development center in Isfahan.
In Israel, missile warning sirens also sounded several times as Iran launched its own attacks.
Iran attacked a large power plant in Israel with missiles - media25.03.26, 14:14
Meanwhile, drone and missile attacks by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon continued unabated. Since entering the fighting, the group has reportedly fired rockets at northern Israel 24/7, disrupting the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
Iran also continued to pressure its Arab neighbors in the Persian Gulf, with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense saying it had destroyed at least eight drones in the kingdom's oil-rich eastern province, and missile warning sirens also sounded in Bahrain.
Kuwait said it had shot down several drones, but the General Directorate of Civil Aviation reported that one of them hit a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, causing a fire that sent a huge plume of smoke into the sky.
The death toll in Iran has exceeded 1,500, the Ministry of Health reported. Israel claims 20 people have died in the war, including two soldiers in Lebanon. At least 13 US service members have died, as well as more than a dozen civilians in the West Bank and Arab Gulf states.
Meanwhile, according to authorities, more than 1,000 people have died in Lebanon, where Israel has shelled the Iranian-linked militant group Hezbollah, which has also fired at Israel.
In Iraq, where Iranian-backed militant groups have also entered the conflict, 80 security forces members have died, said chief security adviser Khalid al-Yaqubi.
Iran's attacks on regional energy infrastructure, as well as restrictions on passage through the Strait of Hormuz, have led to a sharp rise in oil prices and raised fears of a global energy crisis, which in turn put pressure on the US to find a way to end the pressure and calm the markets.
News of possible talks lowered the price of oil. Brent crude, the international benchmark, approached $120 a barrel during the conflict, but traded below $100 on Wednesday. Since the beginning of the war, its growth was still approximately 35%.
Economists and leaders warn of far-reaching consequences if energy prices remain high - from rising food prices and other necessities to higher mortgage and car loan rates.
A major driver of rising oil prices has been Iran's suffocating grip on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has allowed a small number of ships through the strait, but has said that no ships from the US, Israel, or countries considered linked to them can pass.
Iran claims control over the Strait of Hormuz passage and sets conditions for vessels25.03.26, 05:00
Asked in an interview with India Today whether Iran charges ships for passage, Esmail Baghaei, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, replied: "Absolutely." He did not elaborate.