The conflict in the Middle East has entered a new phase as the United States and Iran presented separate counter-proposals aimed at ending the ongoing war that began three weeks ago. The crisis, which also involves Israel, continues to raise global concern as diplomatic efforts intensify to secure a ceasefire agreement. United States President Donald Trump introduced a detailed 15-point framework intended to bring the war to an end. The proposal outlined strict conditions that must be fulfilled before hostilities could stop, particularly regarding Iran’s nuclear programme and regional military activities. According to the plan, nuclear facilities located in Natanz Nuclear Facility, Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, and Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant would have to be completely dismantled. The proposal also demanded full transparency under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, ensuring that all nuclear-related activities in Tehran are monitored without restriction. Washington’s proposal further required Iran to abandon the use of armed proxy groups across the region, halt the supply of weapons to allied militias, and end financial support for organizations operating outside its borders. In addition, the plan stated that Iran must surrender all enriched nuclear material to international inspectors and permanently agree not to pursue nuclear weapons development in the future. The United States government transmitted the proposal directly to Tehran, signalling the White House’s urgency to find a diplomatic exit from the conflict as economic pressure linked to the war continues to grow. Iran Rejects Proposal and Presents New Conditions Iran dismissed the 15-point framework and responded with its own list of demands, describing the American plan as unacceptable. Officials in Tehran stated that any ceasefire would only take place based on Iran’s conditions and within a timeline determined by its leadership. Iran’s counter-proposal reportedly included a demand for the closure of American military bases across the Middle East and the creation of a new shipping regulation for the Strait of Hormuz, allowing Tehran to charge transit fees for vessels passing through the channel, similar to how Egypt collects tolls at the Suez Canal. The Iranian leadership also insisted that Israel must end its military operations against the Iran-supported Lebanese group Hezbollah. Furthermore, Tehran called for the removal of all international sanctions and demanded that its missile programme remain untouched, with no negotiations permitted to limit its development. State broadcaster Press TV quoted a senior security official who confirmed that the United States proposal had been reviewed and formally rejected. The official stated that Iran would not allow Washington to decide when the war should end, stressing that the country would only agree to stop fighting when its own conditions are fully satisfied. He described the American terms as excessive and unrealistic, adding that Tehran considers the proposal one-sided and unacceptable. Iranian Military Mocks Ceasefire Efforts Iranian military spokesperson Lt. Col. Ebrahim Zolfaghari criticised the United States for what he described as weak negotiation tactics. In a recorded message broadcast on national television, he claimed that American strategic influence in the region had turned into failure. He stated that a country claiming global dominance should have already resolved the conflict if it truly had control, adding that attempts to present defeat as diplomacy would not succeed. According to him, Iran has maintained the same position since the beginning of the war and has no intention of changing it. He added that Iran would never accept an agreement imposed by the United States and insisted that the conflict would end only when Tehran decides the time is right. Pentagon Expands Missile Production for Ongoing War As diplomatic tensions continue, the United States Department of Defense announced new agreements with major defence manufacturers to increase missile production due to the heavy use of munitions during the conflict. Contracts were signed with Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems to significantly increase the output of seeker heads used in the THAAD missile defence system, which has been widely deployed in the Middle East to intercept Iranian attacks. The Pentagon stated that the objective is to place the defence industry on a wartime production level to maintain sufficient stockpiles. Production of THAAD components is expected to increase several times over the next few years. Another agreement with Lockheed Martin will accelerate manufacturing of Precision Strike Missiles, a modern tactical ballistic weapon that replaced the older ATACMS system and has already been used during the current conflict. A separate contract with Honeywell Aerospace will expand the production of navigation systems, missile control components, and electronic warfare equipment required for modern air-to-air and ground-based missile systems. The company confirmed a long-term investment aimed at strengthening manufacturing capacity so that defence technology can be produced at a much faster rate during the war. UN Warns Middle East War Is Escalating The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, warned that the situation in the Middle East is becoming increasingly dangerous and could lead to wider global consequences if fighting continues. He stated that the conflict has gone beyond what world leaders expected and risks triggering a larger regional war. According to him, prolonged fighting will bring more human suffering and could cause serious economic disruption worldwide. Guterres urged all parties involved to return to negotiations and avoid further escalation, warning that the longer the war continues, the more difficult it will become to control its impact.
