An Iranian military spokesperson on Wednesday ridiculed U.S. claims of ongoing ceasefire talks, casting doubt on the viability of a 15-point plan proposed by Washington.
Lt. Col. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for the Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters which oversees both Iran’s regular military and the Revolutionary Guard made the remarks in a recorded video broadcast on state television. He suggested there were no negotiations despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that officials were in talks with Tehran.
“Have your internal conflicts reached the point where you are negotiating with yourselves?” Zolfaghari said. “Our first and last word has been the same from day one, and it will stay that way: someone like us will never come to terms with someone like you, not now, not ever.”
The 15-point plan was submitted to Iran through intermediaries from Pakistan, who have offered to host renewed talks between Washington and Tehran, according to an anonymous source. The New York Times was the first to report delivery of the plan to Iranian officials.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon is deploying two Marine units, adding roughly 5,000 Marines and thousands of sailors to the region, in what sources say is intended to give Trump “maximum flexibility” for his next steps. Israeli officials, who have encouraged continued U.S. action against Iran, were reportedly surprised by the ceasefire initiative. The White House declined to comment.
The tensions continue to escalate on the ground. Airstrikes have targeted Iranian sites, while Iranian missiles and drones have struck Israel and other locations in the region. Tehran’s control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz has disrupted international shipping, caused global fuel prices to spike, and threatened economic stability.
“The strategic power you used to talk about has turned into a strategic failure,” Zolfaghari said. “The one claiming to be a global superpower would have already gotten out of this mess if it could. Don’t dress up your defeat as an agreement. Your era of empty promises has come to an end.”