Iran says mediators have offered proposals to halt US fighting
Tehran says diplomatic channels remain active as US strikes continue and Iran warns regional states against helping attacks.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
3 min read
Iran said it has received proposals through intermediaries aimed at ending renewed fighting with the United States, even as both sides continue military operations. The comments point to active diplomatic channels during a conflict that has expanded across Iran, Gulf states and the Strait of Hormuz.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters in Tehran on Monday that mediators had passed proposals to Iran, according to Al Jazeera. He did not give details or confirm whether the ideas included a 10-day ceasefire reported by US media.
Baghaei said Iran’s diplomatic work was proceeding alongside military efforts after recent political divisions between hardliners and more moderate factions. He also warned countries in the region not to let the US use their territory to launch or support attacks on Iran.
Strikes continue on both sides
The latest fighting has included attacks on bridges, roads and military sites inside Iran, Al Jazeera reported. US Central Command said the United States carried out a ninth straight night of strikes, hitting targets beyond the Strait of Hormuz area, including near Tabriz in northwestern Iran.
On Sunday, the US military struck a civilian nuclear power plant under construction in Darkhovin, according to Iran. Tehran said the site had no military purpose and argued that attacks on civilian infrastructure showed US opposition to Iran’s economic development.
Iran has also attacked Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and other Arab countries, including civilian infrastructure, while saying it was targeting US forces stationed there, according to Al Jazeera. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington remains open to diplomacy, but said Iranian missile and drone attacks that killed three US service members over the past week were obstructing those efforts.
Rubio also said divisions had emerged among Iranian officials, with some favoring continued war and others favoring talks. Iran’s chief negotiator, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, rejected that argument on X, saying US claims about seeking peace were contradicted by continued military imports into the region.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the regular army have continued attacks on US military targets. The IRGC released video on Monday showing Kheibar Shekan, Fateh-110, Zolfaghar and Emad ballistic missiles used in recent strikes.
Hormuz pressure and invasion warnings
Commercial vessels and tankers have been hit in the Strait of Hormuz, a route that carried roughly one-fifth of global energy supplies before the war, Al Jazeera reported. A US naval blockade of Iran’s southern ports remains in place as Washington tries to pressure Iran’s economy.
Heavy US bombing in southern Iran has prompted speculation about a possible US ground operation. Baghaei warned that Iran was ready to receive US soldiers, including in any attack on Kharg Island, the key outlet for nearly all Iranian crude exports.
Iranian officials are also discussing a memorandum of understanding signed with the US last month and now suspended by both sides. President Masoud Pezeshkian defended the 14-article agreement in Tehran on Monday, saying it did not surrender Iran’s principles or national interests, while acknowledging economic strain.
Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said the war should continue until Iran achieves full deterrence. He said that without it, the enemy could miscalculate and attack Iranian territory again.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.