Iran has officially rejected a Pakistani-brokered proposal for a temporary ceasefire, insisting instead on a permanent end to the ongoing war with the United States and Israel.

Tehran’s counter-proposal consists of a ten-clause framework that demands the lifting of international sanctions, a comprehensive regional peace agreement, and a protocol for safe passage through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. 

Furthermore, the Iranian government is seeking significant funds for national reconstruction as a condition for any settlement.

The rejection comes amid a looming deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has threatened to "take out" Iran if a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is not reached by 8 p.m. EDT on Tuesday. 

During a recent news conference, Trump used escalatory language, vowing to decimate Iran’s civilian infrastructure, specifically targeting power plants and bridges. He dismissed concerns regarding potential war crimes, claiming that the Iranian people are willing to endure such destruction in exchange for freedom.

In response to these threats, Iran’s joint military command labelled the U.S. President as "delusional" and dismissed his rhetoric as arrogant and baseless. Domestically, Iranian officials have called for a show of civilian defiance, with the deputy sports minister urging athletes and artists to form human chains around power plants to protect them from strikes. Iran’s envoy to the United Nations has further characterised Trump's warnings as direct incitement to terrorism and evidence of an intent to commit war crimes.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a central point of contention, as Iran has effectively closed the waterway—responsible for a fifth of the world's energy supply—following U.S. and Israeli attacks in late February. Tehran views the maritime chokehold as its most powerful bargaining chip.

Tensions were further exacerbated on Monday following a strike on the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, which damaged an artificial intelligence data centre. Iran has blamed the U.S. and Israel for the attack, promising that the "aggressors" will feel their might in retaliation.

Despite the escalating violence, U.S. officials highlighted a successful weekend mission to retrieve an American airman whose jet was shot down last Friday. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth described the rescue in overtly religious terms, comparing the operation to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This military success occurs against a backdrop of domestic pressure for the Trump administration, as the six-week-old war has triggered a spike in fuel prices and negatively impacted Republican approval ratings ahead of the November midterm elections.

The military situation continues to deteriorate across the region, with Hegseth predicting that Monday and Tuesday would see the highest volume of airstrikes since the war began. The Israeli military confirmed it has already completed a wave of strikes against government infrastructure and petrochemical facilities, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as an effort to dismantle the financial "money machine" of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Reports from Tehran indicate that residential areas have been hit, leaving rescue teams to search for survivors in the rubble.

Iran has demonstrated a continued capacity to strike back, launching missile volleys toward Israel and its neighbours despite U.S. claims that Iranian capabilities had been neutralised.

On Tuesday, air defence systems were activated across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain as sirens warned of incoming missile threats. The human cost of the conflict remains staggering; rights groups estimate that thousands have died across the Middle East, including over 3,500 people in Iran and nearly 1,500 in Lebanon.

Reuters