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Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has rejected a US ceasefire proposal sent to Tehran through intermediaries. Rejecting the proposal, he demanded that Israel and the United States must first “capitulate.”
British news agency Reuters reported on Tuesday that a senior Iranian official disclosed details of the US ceasefire proposal.
The Iranian official stated that Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei convened his first foreign policy meeting since being appointed Supreme Leader. During this meeting, he adopted a “very tough and uncompromising” stance regarding retaliation against the United States and Israel. The official did not clarify whether the Supreme Leader attended the meeting in person or virtually.
The senior official, who requested anonymity, mentioned that two intermediary countries had conveyed a proposal to Iran’s foreign ministry concerning de-escalation or a ceasefire with the United States. However, he did not provide details of the proposal or the names of the mediating countries.
In response to the ceasefire proposal, Iran’s Supreme Leader said, “Until the United States and Israel capitulate, accept defeat, and compensate for damages, this is not the right time for peace.”
The Supreme Leader’s decision is final on all state matters of the Islamic Republic of Iran. No new photos of Iran’s Supreme Leader have been released since he succeeded his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a week ago.
Iranian officials stated that the new Supreme Leader also sustained minor injuries in the attack that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. US officials, however, claimed he was severely wounded.
The war between Iran, the United States, and Israel has entered its third week. At least 2,000 people have been killed in this conflict so far, with no signs of the fighting abating.
The Strait of Hormuz is currently effectively closed. US President Donald Trump’s allies have rejected his request for help to reopen this crucial waterway. This has led to rising fuel prices and fears of inflation.
In his first message broadcast on state television last week after being elected Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei stated that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed as a tool to pressure Iran’s enemies. On March 14, three sources told Reuters that the Trump administration rejected Iran’s diplomatic overtures from allied Middle Eastern countries aimed at ending the war.
Source: Reuters.