Iran "Checkmates" Trump, Denies Peace Negotiation Claims—War Continues
Escalation of the conflict in the Middle East is intensifying after Iran’s military officially rejected US President Donald Trump’s claims regarding negotiations to end the war. This denial comes amid mutual attacks involving fighter jets and missiles between Israel and Iran, which have disrupted global energy and financial markets.
On Wednesday (25/03/2026), Iran’s integrated armed forces command, dominated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), asserted that no talks are underway with Washington. This statement also refutes reports of a 15-point peace plan sent by the US to Tehran.
Iran’s chief spokesman for the joint military command, Ebrahim Zolfaqari, issued a scathing response to Trump’s claims via a government television broadcast.
“Has your level of inner turmoil reached the point where you (Trump) are negotiating with yourself? People like us will never get along with people like you. As we have always said, no one like us will make a deal with you. Not now. Not ever,” Zolfaqari stated, quoted by Reuters.
Echoing the military’s stance, Iran’s Foreign Ministry has also closed the door on diplomacy, referring to the poor track record of relations between the two countries. Iran feels betrayed because Washington has attacked the country twice during high-level negotiation processes in the past two years.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told India Today on Tuesday that Iran has a very bad experience with US diplomacy.
“There is no dialogue or negotiation with Washington, because Iran’s armed forces are focused on defending the country,” Baghaei said.
Entering the fourth week of the war, which has claimed thousands of lives, the situation on the ground on Wednesday showed no respite from airstrikes. Israel’s military confirmed via a Telegram post that it had launched a wave of attacks targeting infrastructure across Tehran, including two naval cruise missile production sites.
On the other hand, Iran’s semi-official SNN News Agency reported that the Israeli strikes hit residential areas. To date, rescue personnel are still searching for victims amid the rubble of destroyed buildings.
Tensions have spread after Kuwait and Saudi Arabia reported repelling a new drone attack. Kuwait’s Civil Aviation Authority stated that a drone targeted fuel tanks at Kuwait International Airport, sparking a major fire, though no casualties were reported in the incident.
In retaliation, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced a new wave of attacks on various locations in Israel, including Tel Aviv and Kiryat Shmona. Not only Israel, but US military bases in Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain also became targets of Tehran’s airstrikes.
Previously, on Tuesday, Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that the United States is in the process of negotiating with the right people in Iran to end the war.
“The Iranian people are very eager to reach a deal,” Trump claimed.
Reports of ceasefire efforts for one month and the sending of a 15-point US plan briefly strengthened stock markets and lowered oil prices on Wednesday. The plan reportedly includes dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme, halting support for proxy groups like Hezbollah, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
However, amid these peace claims, the Pentagon is estimated to send thousands of soldiers from the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East. This addition will bolster the 50,000 US troops already in the region, raising concerns about a much longer conflict.