Hopes for US-Iran Ceasefire Fade, Trump: Still Not Enough
Diplomatic efforts to end the war in the Middle East through a 45-day ceasefire proposal are now on the verge of failure. United States President Donald Trump has emphasised that the peace draft submitted by international mediators is currently “still not enough” to halt military operations against Iran.
In a press conference in Washington on Monday local time, Trump acknowledged that the proposal mediated by Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey is a “significant offer.” However, he demanded harsher conditions, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping no later than midnight GMT on Tuesday.
If those demands are ignored, Trump threatened to launch devastating attacks targeting Iran’s civilian infrastructure.
“We have a plan, with our military power, where every bridge in Iran will be destroyed tomorrow night at 12 o’clock, where every power plant in Iran will stop operating, burn, explode, and never be usable again,” Trump stated firmly.
He added in a threatening tone, “I mean total destruction at midnight, and that will happen in a four-hour period if we want it.”
The hardline stance is not only coming from Washington. The Tehran side, through state media, has stated that it has rejected the ceasefire draft. Iranian officials emphasised that they will only accept an agreement that brings a “definitive end to the conflict.” Iran’s military has also vowed to continue fighting as long as political authorities deem it necessary.
While negotiators are still discussing, the battles on the ground are becoming increasingly intense. Combined US-Israel airstrikes have reportedly hit Iran’s largest petrochemical facilities in Asaluyeh and Shiraz. Israel also confirmed the deaths of Asghar Bagheri, commander of the Quds Force special operations unit, and Majid Khademi, head of intelligence for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“We will reach anyone who tries to harm us,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The war that erupted at the end of February has paralysed the global economy due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Real impacts are being felt in Indonesia, where the government has announced an increase in additional jet fuel costs (jet fuel surcharge). Low-cost carriers like AirAsia X have even announced ticket price increases of up to 40 percent due to the surge in global oil prices.
The world now awaits whether the mediators can improve the ceasefire proposal before the midnight deadline expires, or whether the Middle East region will plunge into broader destruction of civilian infrastructure.
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