DUBAI — Iran on Wednesday rejected an American 15 point ceasefire proposal as fighting continued across the Middle East, launching new missile and drone attacks on Israel and Gulf Arab states, including a strike that caused a fire at Kuwait International Airport, according to Arab News.
The U.S. plan, transmitted to Tehran through Pakistan, aimed to pause the conflict that has raged since late February. It called for sanctions relief, limits on Iran’s missile program, renewed nuclear monitoring, and restored shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
Iran’s state-run Press TV quoted an unnamed official as saying Tehran would reject the plan, insisting that “Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and when its own conditions are met.” The official said the country would continue delivering “heavy blows” to its enemies across the region.
Egyptian officials involved in mediation said the U.S. proposal also demanded curbs on Iran’s support for regional armed groups. Tehran has long refused such terms, viewing its missile program and alliances with factions in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen as essential to its national security.
Iran’s response came as Israel and the United States expanded military deployments. The Pentagon confirmed plans to send 1,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division and about 5,000 Marines with supporting sailors to the region. Military officials said the forces would strengthen U.S. positions and secure key routes amid rising threats.
Israel said it carried out several rounds of airstrikes on Wednesday against Iranian targets in Tehran and Isfahan, including what it described as a submarine development site. Iranian state media reported missile and drone attacks in retaliation across Israel and neighboring states.
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted eight drones in its eastern region, while Bahrain also reported air defense alerts. Kuwait’s Civil Aviation Authority said one drone hit a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, sparking a fire that was later contained.
Iranian Health Ministry officials said more than 1,500 people had been killed since hostilities began. Israel has reported 20 dead, including soldiers, while casualties across Lebanon, Iraq and Gulf states have exceeded several hundred.
Mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Türkiye are pressing for direct talks between the United States and Iran, possibly as soon as Friday in Islamabad, diplomats said. President Donald Trump told reporters in Washington that discussions were underway involving Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, senior envoy Steve Witkoff, and adviser Jared Kushner. He did not identify which Iranian officials were participating.
Iranian state media also described Tehran’s own five-point plan for ending the conflict. The proposal calls for an end to targeted killings of Iranian officials, guarantees against future military action, payment of reparations, a ceasefire, and Iran’s control over security in the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts said those conditions are unlikely to be accepted by Washington or its allies.
Israeli officials said they were surprised by Washington’s decision to submit a ceasefire plan. “We were not briefed in advance,” one official said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. Israel has urged the U.S. to maintain military pressure on Iran, which it blames for arming and funding groups attacking Israeli and Western interests.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran remained skeptical of U.S. intentions. “We have a catastrophic experience with U.S. diplomacy,” he told India Today, referring to previous strikes under the Trump administration that coincided with diplomatic contacts, including the Feb. 28 strikes that started the current conflict.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the ongoing fighting, warning that the war “has broken past limits even leaders thought imaginable.” He called for all sides to exercise restraint and urged Iran, Israel, and the United States to halt offensive operations. “This has gone too far,” he said.
Global markets reacted to renewed diplomatic efforts. Brent crude oil, which peaked at nearly $120 a barrel during the fighting, traded below $100 on Wednesday but remained about 35 percent higher than before the conflict. Analysts warned that persistent instability in the Strait of Hormuz could again drive prices up, increasing inflation and slowing global growth.
For now, both sides show little sign of compromise. Tehran continues to demand sovereignty guarantees and reparations, while Washington and its allies insist that missile fire and attacks on energy infrastructure must stop first. As battles rage across multiple fronts, the gap between diplomacy and reality appears to be widening.
