{"id":25639,"date":"2026-03-25T09:03:43","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T09:03:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/us-iran-ceasefire-plan\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T09:03:43","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T09:03:43","slug":"us-iran-ceasefire-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/us-iran-ceasefire-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"US offers plan for a ceasefire but Iran’s military says Washington is in no position to negotiate – AP News"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Lead:<\/strong> U.S. officials transmitted a 15-point ceasefire proposal to Iran on Wednesday via Pakistani intermediaries, while Washington simultaneously moved additional troops to the Middle East. Iran\u2019s military rejected the notion that the United States is in any position to negotiate and pressed its campaign of strikes across Israel and the Gulf, including an assault that ignited a large fire at Kuwait International Airport. The proposed plan addresses sanctions relief, nuclear and missile limits, and free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, even as oil markets reacted to both negotiation signals and continued hostilities.<\/p>\n

Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n
    \n
  • The United States sent a 15-point ceasefire plan to Iran through Pakistani intermediaries, covering sanctions relief, civilian nuclear cooperation, IAEA monitoring, missile limits and Strait of Hormuz passage.<\/li>\n
  • At least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division and about 5,000 Marines (via two Marine units) are being moved to the region as diplomatic efforts proceed.<\/li>\n
  • Iran continued daily strikes: attacks hit Israel, Gulf Arab states and regional energy infrastructure; one strike caused a major fire at Kuwait International Airport.<\/li>\n
  • Brent crude briefly approached US$120 a barrel during the conflict but traded around US$100 after ceasefire signals; prices remain roughly 40% higher than before the war began.<\/li>\n
  • Casualties reported include more than 1,500 dead in Iran, over 1,000 killed in Lebanon from Israeli strikes, 16 killed in Israel, and at least 13 U.S. service members.<\/li>\n
  • Saudi Arabia reported destroying at least eight drones; Kuwait said it downed multiple drones but one struck a fuel tank at its international airport.<\/li>\n
  • Iran allowed limited shipping through the Strait of Hormuz but excluded vessels from the U.S., Israel and countries perceived to be aligned with them.<\/li>\n
  • Major diplomatic hurdles remain: mistrust from past U.S. actions during talks, unclear Iranian negotiating authority, and competing regional priorities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Background<\/h2>\n

    The immediate hostilities trace to strikes on Feb. 28 that, according to multiple statements, involved Israeli and U.S. actions and marked the start of the current war. Since then, Iran has used missile and drone strikes against Israeli territory and Gulf Arab infrastructure while restricting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of the world\u2019s oil passes. Disruption there has global implications: energy markets spiked and supply-chain risks grew as consumers and traders reassessed exposure to the Gulf supply route.<\/p>\n

    Diplomatic activity intensified as mediators from Pakistan and Egypt worked to bridge Washington and Tehran, offering a multi-point framework that links sanctions relief to verifiable limits on Iran\u2019s nuclear and missile programs. Those intermediaries include government officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release details. Historical context colors all engagements: Iran points to previous high-level talks that ended amid strikes, and Washington\u2019s shifting goals on nuclear and missile limits complicate a straightforward bargain.<\/p>\n

    Main Event<\/h2>\n

    Pakistani officials confirmed that a U.S. 15-point proposal reached Tehran on Wednesday through intermediaries in Islamabad. According to those officials, the plan covers sanctions relief, civilian nuclear cooperation, measures to roll back aspects of Iran\u2019s nuclear program, International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring, limits on ballistic missiles and arrangements to guarantee commercial passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Washington framed the delivery as an effort to secure a ceasefire while retaining military options.<\/p>\n

    At the same time, the Pentagon is dispatching reinforcements: three people familiar with the plan told The Associated Press that at least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division will deploy to the Mideast in coming days, and two Marine units that would add roughly 5,000 Marines plus thousands of sailors are being positioned in the theater. U.S. leaders described the moves as intended to preserve \u201cmaximum flexibility\u201d as diplomacy proceeds.<\/p>\n

    Iran\u2019s military leadership publicly disparaged the notion of negotiations and continued kinetic operations. The Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which oversees Iran\u2019s regular military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, rejected overtures and sustained attacks that included strikes on Israel and Gulf states. One reported strike on Kuwait International Airport hit a fuel tank and sparked a large blaze; Kuwaiti authorities said they had shot down multiple drones while firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.<\/p>\n

    Israel announced new wide-scale strikes on Iranian government infrastructure, reporting operations in places including Qazvin. Missile alert sirens sounded in Israel and Bahrain; Saudi Arabia reported destroying at least eight incoming drones in its oil-rich Eastern Province. Iran acknowledged allowing a limited number of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz but said vessels from the United States, Israel and allied nations remained blocked.<\/p>\n

    Analysis & Implications<\/h2>\n

    The combination of fresh diplomatic text and parallel force deployments underscores a classic coercive-diplomacy pattern: negotiators extend an offer while militaries reposition to increase leverage. Oil markets reacted predictably \u2014 prices climbed when conflict intensified and eased slightly when word of a possible deal circulated \u2014 but volatility is likely to persist until a durable agreement or a definitive cessation of attacks is in place.<\/p>\n

    Substantive obstacles loom. The 15-point document reportedly ties sanctions relief to verifiable nuclear and missile constraints and limits on Iran\u2019s support for armed groups. Achieving these outcomes requires technical monitoring (notably by the IAEA), intrusive verification regimes and enforceable timelines \u2014 items Iran and its adversaries have long disputed. Moreover, Israel\u2019s stated intent to continue targeting Iranian leadership and infrastructure complicates Tehran\u2019s political calculus for any concessions.<\/p>\n

    Equally important is the question of negotiating authority inside Iran. Tehran\u2019s decision-making is diffused among military, security and religious institutions; public denials of talks by commanders increase the political cost of negotiation for any Iranian official. On the U.S. side, the roster of participants cited by President Trump \u2014 including private envoys and senior political figures named in public remarks \u2014 may not map neatly onto formal U.S. diplomatic channels, which could frustrate Iranian demands for credible, empowered interlocutors.<\/p>\n

    Comparison & Data<\/h2>\n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Indicator<\/th>\nValue \/ Change<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Brent crude (peak)<\/td>\nNear US$120\/barrel during conflict spikes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Brent crude (after talks signal)<\/td>\n~US$100\/barrel (morning trading)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Iran reported deaths<\/td>\n1,500+ (Health Ministry)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Deaths in Lebanon (Israeli strikes)<\/td>\n1,000+<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    U.S. service members killed<\/td>\nAt least 13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    U.S. troop movements<\/td>\n~1,000 82nd Airborne; ~5,000 Marines (two units)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>
    Market and casualty indicators linked to the Iran war and the ceasefire proposal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    The table summarizes the market reaction and human cost metrics reported by regional authorities and international markets. Price movements reflect immediate risk repricing; casualty figures and troop movements are from government statements and reporting collated during the most recent phase of the conflict. Analysts warn that both military escalation and a fragile diplomatic track could push indicators in either direction quickly.<\/p>\n

    Reactions & Quotes<\/h2>\n

    Iranian military spokesmen dismissed the U.S. approach and framed Washington as weakened. The remarks were released on state television and came amid continued Iranian strikes in the region.<\/p>\n

    \n

    “Someone like us will never come to terms with someone like you. Not now, not ever.”<\/p>\n

    Lt. Col. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters<\/cite>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    That statement was part of a broader broadcast that characterized U.S. diplomacy as a failure and reiterated Iran\u2019s refusal to negotiate from a position it deems compromised. The remarks signal political resistance inside Iran that diplomats must overcome for any in-person or formal talks to advance.<\/p>\n

    Iranian foreign ministry spokespeople reiterated deep mistrust rooted in past episodes when talks coincided with military strikes. In a recent interview, an Iranian official said Tehran had engaged regional intermediaries but denied direct negotiations with the United States.<\/p>\n

    \n

    “We have a very catastrophic experience with U.S. diplomacy,”<\/p>\n

    Esmail Baghaei, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson<\/cite>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Baghaei\u2019s comment underscores why mediators are proposing indirect channels and highly scripted verification mechanisms rather than immediate, public bilateral talks. Iranian references to previous diplomatic ruptures are likely to make any deal contingent on strict, multilayered guarantees.<\/p>\n

    At the White House, President Trump stated the U.S. is “in negotiations right now” and listed several high-profile and private figures he said were involved, while the White House declined to provide further operational details when asked. U.S. troop movements, officials said, are designed to provide options as diplomacy proceeds.<\/p>\n

    \n

    “We have a number of people doing it,”<\/p>\n

    President Donald Trump<\/cite>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Trump\u2019s public list of participants\u2014named during a press statement\u2014was unusual in its mix of formal and informal envoys and raised questions about who would speak with binding authority on behalf of the U.S. government. That ambiguity could complicate efforts to secure reciprocal Iranian commitments.<\/p>\n