Date: April 6, 2026 l Reporter: Stephen
Iran has rejected a ceasefire proposal aimed at ending its five-week conflict with the United States and Israel, insisting that any agreement must bring a lasting end to the war rather than a temporary pause, while U.S. President Donald Trump said Tehran’s response was “not good enough” and maintained a hard deadline tied to reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the report, Iran sent its response to the U.S. proposal through Pakistan and laid out a 10-clause position that included demands for an end to conflicts in the region, a protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief, and reconstruction. Iran’s official IRNA news agency said Tehran was pushing back against pressure to quickly reopen the strategic waterway under only a temporary ceasefire arrangement.
Trump told reporters at a White House Easter event that Iran’s proposal represented a “significant step,” but said it still fell short of what Washington wanted. He also said his deadline remained final after previously threatening severe consequences if Iran did not make a deal by 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a route vital to global energy supplies.
The Arab News report said Iran had effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. and Israeli attacks in February, turning one of the world’s most important maritime routes into a major bargaining chip. About a fifth of global oil and natural gas supply passes through the strait, making the standoff a serious threat to international energy markets and wider economic stability.
The ceasefire framework under discussion was reportedly brokered through Pakistan after intense overnight contacts. It proposed an immediate ceasefire followed by talks on a broader peace settlement to be concluded within 15 to 20 days. Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was said to have remained in contact through the night with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi as efforts continued to bridge differences.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said Tehran’s demands should not be seen as compromise but as a reflection of confidence in defending its position. He added that earlier U.S. demands, including what he described as a 15-point plan, had been rejected as excessive. On the American side, a White House official described the ceasefire idea as only one of several options still under consideration and said military operations, referred to by the U.S. as “Operation Epic Fury,” were continuing.
Trump also used Monday’s appearance to defend possible attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure, brushing aside concerns that striking power plants could amount to a war crime. He argued that the greater danger was allowing Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. The report also noted that experts say attacks on civilian infrastructure such as power plants and bridges could violate the laws of war, and pointed to the Geneva Conventions’ prohibition on attacks against civilian objects.
As the diplomatic push unfolded, fresh strikes were reported across the region. Iranian state media said Revolutionary Guards intelligence chief Majid Khademi had died, while Israel claimed responsibility for his death. A U.S.-Israeli strike also reportedly hit the data center at Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, damaging infrastructure linked to Iran’s national artificial intelligence platform and thousands of other services.
Israel also escalated its rhetoric and operations. Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to destroy Iran’s infrastructure and pursue its leaders “one by one,” while the Israeli military said it had targeted Iran’s air force through strikes on Bahram, Mehrabad and Azmayesh airports. Iran, for its part, said two of its petrochemical complexes were attacked, although emergency crews reportedly brought a blaze at the South Pars complex under control without casualties.
The conflict showed no sign of slowing on Monday, with Iran and its allies continuing to strike back. The report said Iranian weekend attacks targeted petrochemical facilities and an Israeli-linked vessel in Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE, while missile and drone attacks also continued against Israel. Israel’s military said there had been 20 missile launches from Lebanon and five from Iran during the day. A missile strike in Haifa overnight reportedly killed four people beneath the rubble of a damaged building, bringing Israel’s death toll to 23, according to its ambulance service. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis also said they had launched missile and drone attacks against Israel.
The latest developments leave the region standing at a dangerous crossroads, with diplomacy still alive but clearly under immense strain. Iran is demanding a permanent settlement and broader guarantees, while Trump is pressing for immediate concessions and signaling more force if Tehran refuses. With the Strait of Hormuz still central to the dispute and fresh attacks continuing across multiple fronts, the conflict remains one of the most dangerous flashpoints in the world today.