One of the most significant obstacles to any diplomatic resolution of the Iran conflict was the death toll among Iran’s own leadership, with Israel and the United States having killed numerous senior Iranian officials during the conflict including Ali Larijani, the secretary of the supreme national security council and one of the more pragmatic figures in Iran’s security establishment. The elimination of potential interlocutors had created deep scepticism within Iran about the safety of entering into any public negotiation with the United States, with officials citing what they described as a catastrophic experience with American diplomacy.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson spoke bluntly about the trust deficit: American diplomatic engagement had previously been used as cover for military strikes against Iran, and the country had been attacked twice while discussions were nominally underway. Against this background, Iran rejected a 15-point US ceasefire proposal delivered through Pakistan on Wednesday, declaring through state television that it would fight on until its own conditions were met. Foreign Minister Araghchi confirmed receipt of the American document while making clear that formal negotiations were not on Iran’s agenda.
Tehran’s five-point counter-proposal demanded the cessation of all attacks on Iranian territory and officials, binding security guarantees against future aggression, war reparations, and full Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. In the meantime, fighting continued relentlessly. Israeli forces struck multiple Iranian cities including Isfahan in a fresh wave of airstrikes, and Iran retaliated with ballistic missiles against Israel and drone attacks on Gulf states, causing a major fire at Kuwait international airport and prompting the arrest of six people tied to an alleged Hezbollah assassination plot in Kuwait.
The US military maintained that its campaign had been extraordinarily effective, with more than 10,000 targets struck and most of Iran’s major naval and missile production infrastructure severely damaged. Yet the war showed no signs of approaching a decisive conclusion, with Iran threatening carpet-bombing of its own territory and Red Sea shipping disruptions in response to any US ground operation. The 82nd Airborne Division was among the units being sent to the region as planning continued for a possible assault on Kharg Island.
China, Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkey were all active in diplomatic outreach, and some officials expressed hope that direct talks could begin by Friday. The White House encouraged this hope while cautioning against premature expectations. Trump’s approval rating sat at 36%, its lowest point, and 59% of Americans believed the war had exceeded its legitimate scope. The killing of Iran’s most pragmatic officials had removed precisely the people most likely to facilitate a negotiated exit — a tragic irony that was not lost on the diplomats working to end the conflict.