US President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Iran to enter negotiations to end the Middle East conflict “before it is too late”, after Tehran publicly rejected US efforts to resolve the nearly four-week war.
His warning came as Israel announced it had killed the naval commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, describing him as “directly responsible” for restricting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began.
Prospects for a negotiated settlement between the US, Israel and Iran had briefly improved after reports that Washington presented a peace proposal to Tehran, but Iran denied any direct engagement.
However, Pakistan confirmed it was facilitating indirect communication between the US and Iran by relaying messages, adding that a 15-point American proposal was under consideration in Tehran.
“They better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is NO TURNING BACK, and it won’t be pretty!” Trump warned on social media, claiming Iran had been “militarily obliterated, with zero chance of a comeback”.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated that no formal negotiations were taking place with Washington, although he acknowledged that messages were being exchanged via “friendly countries”.
“We seek an end to the war on our own terms,” Araghchi said on state television.
Islamabad has been identified as a key intermediary, given its longstanding relations with both Iran and the United States, while Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said countries such as Turkey and Egypt were also supporting efforts. The Gulf Cooperation Council has expressed interest in participating in any talks.
Conflict spreads east
Following near-daily bombardments since February 28, Iran was struck again on Thursday by Israeli forces. One strike reportedly “blown up and eliminated” naval commander Alireza Tangsiri along with several senior officers.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz blamed Tangsiri for restricting movement through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has limited to vessels it does not consider hostile.
Israeli forces also conducted what they described as “wide-scale” strikes on Iranian infrastructure. Local media reported attacks in cities including Isfahan, Shiraz, Bandar Abbas, Tabriz, Mashhad and Birjand, indicating the conflict had spread to previously less-affected regions.
A resident of Qeshm expressed concern over worsening living conditions, saying the conflict was unlikely to improve daily life.
Iran continued retaliatory strikes on Israel, where falling debris from intercepted missiles injured several people. Violence also extended across the Gulf, with casualties reported near Abu Dhabi and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
‘Top person’?
Iran has targeted Gulf states it accuses of supporting US military operations, including strikes on energy facilities and civilian infrastructure, raising concerns over global economic disruption.
Oil prices, which had previously declined, rose again on Thursday amid uncertainty over potential negotiations.
Trump has alleged that Iranian officials are concealing talks due to fears of assassination following the killing of supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
The White House has not disclosed the identity of the senior figure it is reportedly communicating with in Iran, beyond confirming it is not Mojtaba Khamenei, who is believed to be injured and has not appeared publicly.
No Lebanon ‘surrender’
In response to Khamenei’s killing, the Iran-backed Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on Israel on March 2, drawing Lebanon into the conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said troops had established a “genuine security zone” in southern Lebanon, where an Israeli soldier was killed on Thursday.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem stated that entering negotiations with Israel under current conditions would amount to “surrender”, as the group continued missile strikes on military targets in central Israel.