Iran Rejects US Proposed Ceasefire, Won't Be 'Fooled Again' As Attacks Continue With US Troops En Route

Iran Rejects US Proposed Ceasefire, Won't Be 'Fooled Again' As Attacks Continue With US Troops En Route

TYLER DURDEN

Summary

• Iran Does Not Accept Ceasefire, Says US Talks Illogical: Fars. The statement says that talks are not viable in current conditions, oil jumps.

• 3,000 elite Army Airborne soldiers & Marines still en route after Trump said Monday says Iran has been destroyed "militarily". 

• Iran is tightening control of Hormuz, demanding detailed ship data and in some cases fees for passage

• Iran continues to say it is ready for long war, monitors US troop movements: Parliament Speaker says "Do not test our resolve to defend our land."

  
  

  
  

  Iran Rejects US Ceasefire Draft Deal: "Illogical"

  Confusion reigns over diplomacy as Pakistan reportedly relays Washington's ceasefire terms to Iran. "A document given to Pakistan by the Trump administration has been presented to the Iranians," according to Al Jazeera. An alleged early draft can be viewed here.

  Iran's Fars citing informed source on ceasefire Wednesday: Iran Does Not Accept Ceasefire, Says US Talks Illogical: Fars. The statement says that talks are not viable in current conditions. 

  Tehran has consistently been denying any negotiations outright, with Iran's ambassador insists no direct or indirect talks are happening, even as "friendly countries" conduct consultations. Iran's military also brushed off claims by President Trump, vowing to press on with the fight, and asserting that Washington is merely negotiating with itself, trying to will something into existence which isn't yet reality.

  
  

  Bloomberg has summarized where things stand: "Iran kept up missile and drone attacks on Israel and Arab Gulf states, even after the US floated a plan to end a war that’s wreaked havoc across the Middle East and in global markets." The below are also key points:

  • Iranian officials have told the countries trying to mediate peace talks with the U.S. that they have now been tricked twice by President Trump and "we don't want to be fooled again," according to a source with direct knowledge of those discussions. They worry Trump is buying time as he brings more military equipment to the Middle East. 
  • Iran has received an American 15-point plan for a ceasefire for the Iran war through intermediaries from Pakistan, officials in Islamabad said Wednesday. The proposal was sent even as Washington began to move paratroopers to the Middle East to back up a contingent of Marines already heading to the region. 

  Iran military spokesman: "Have your internal conflicts reached the point where you're negotiating with yourselves?"

  
  

  Trump's "Very Big Present" & Hormuz Leverage

  Trump, meanwhile, claims Iran offered a "present…worth a tremendous amount of money," tied to energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz - but provided no details. At the same time, the US is ramping troop deployments even as it touts negotiations to end the conflict. He also claimed "we are... talking to the right people" in Iran, adding to the confusion and ambiguity.

  On the ground, Iran is tightening control of Hormuz, demanding detailed ship data and in some cases fees for passage - especially for oil and gas tankers. Traffic has thinned, with non-compliant vessels turned away, raising pressure on Asian economies like India and drawing pushback from China.

  Hundreds of vessels still remain paralyzed, after Iran adopted an "eye for an eye" policy to re-establish deterrence and impose sever costs on both America's Gulf partners and the global economy. Here's the latest on Iran's statements and policy regarding passage:

  Iran has said that “non-hostile” ships may transit the Strait of Hormuz amid a collapse of maritime traffic through the waterway that has prompted the biggest global energy crisis in decades.

  In a statement on Tuesday, Iran’s mission to the United Nations said vessels may avail of “safe passage” through the waterway, “provided that they neither participate in nor support acts of aggression against Iran and fully comply with the declared safety and security regulations.”

  
  

  Tit-for-Tat Hits On Key Infrastructure

  US-Israeli strikes on Iran continue, while Iranian missiles trigger alarms across Israel. Gulf states are still feeling the pain, with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain intercepted incoming threats, while Kuwait reported a fire at its main airport after a fuel tank was hit, according to Bloomberg.

  Israel says it has crossed the 15,000-munitions mark in strikes on Iran since late February - highlighting the scale of the conflict, now far exceeding prior rounds of fighting. On Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the air force has carried out multiple new waves of airstrikes over Tehran, targeting what it described as Iranian regime infrastructure.

  This has apparently included Iran's only submarine development facility, as part of a broader wave of attacks on weapons production sites around Isfahan. According to the IDF, the targeted underwater R&D center is the "only site in Iran responsible for the planning and development of submarines and auxiliary systems for the Iranian navy." It added: "The regime produced various models of unmanned vessels at the site."

  Reports say Iran again targeted Israel's largest power plant in Hadera (Orot Rabin):

  
  

  Israel is also escalating in Lebanon, bombing Beirut and pushing deeper into the south as it signals plans for a longer-term occupation zone.

  Tehran 'Closely Monitoring' US Troop Deployments

  Iranian officials are issuing stark warnings, most importantly with parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf having declared: "We are closely monitoring all US movements in the region, especially troop deployments. Do not test our resolve to defend our land." He added, "What the generals have broke, the soldiers can't fix; instead, they will fall victim to Netanyahu's delusions." 

  Official casualty latest per Pentagon: 232 U.S. service members have been injured since the start of the conflict, a U.S. Central Command spokesperson has said. Of those, 207 have returned to duty and 10 are seriously wounded. At least 13 have been killed.

  As for the US troops, it's anything but clear at this point what comes next after they finally arrive in the region. There's talk that Trump could order a Kharg Island takeover, which itself would be ultra high-risk, given how deep inside the narrow strait that the island lies. 

  Meanwhile WSJ reviews of the above mentioned Ghalibaf: "Iran’s combative Parliament speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, is emerging as an unlikely figure in Washington’s search for a deal to halt a widening Middle East war."

  "Ghalibaf, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps air-force commander and Tehran mayor, has denied any talks with the U.S. are under way," the report continues. "He has taunted President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and called the U.S.-Israeli air war with Iran a quagmire. He served in the Revolutionary Guard during Iran’s brutal war with Iraq in the 1980s and is known as a hard-liner’s hard-liner."

  But, the report notes, "At the same time, he is credited with helping to modernize Tehran while he was mayor, becoming famous for riding his motorcycle around town and expanding major highways and the metro system in a traffic-clogged city. In 2008, he traveled to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, portraying himself as a leader with a more business-friendly attitude than other parts of the regime." Some analysts have said that Washington could eventually work with him. 

  
  

  
  

Iran targets major Israeli power plant in missile attacks, no injuries or damage

Iran targets major Israeli power plant in missile attacks, no injuries or damage

TOI STAFF

The Times of Israel is liveblogging Wednesday

Senior Iranian official confirms getting US proposal, says Turkey or Pakistan could host talks

A senior Iranian official confirms to Reuters that Pakistan has delivered a proposal from the United States to end hostilities.

The source says Turkey also helped in contacts and that both Turkey and Pakistan were “under consideration as the venue” for negotiations.

The comments, on condition of anonymity, are among rare signs that Tehran might consider diplomatic proposals, despite insisting in public that no talks were under way and it would make no deal with the administration of President Donald Trump.

The Iranian source does not disclose details of the proposal passed on by Pakistan, or whether it was the same as a previously reported 15-point US framework.

No injuries reported in latest Iranian missile strike in south, Hezbollah rocket barrage on north

IDF detects new ballistic missile attack from Iran, sirens expected in south

Pentagon: Agreements reached with defense contractors to boost production amid shift to ‘wartime footing’

The Pentagon says it reached framework agreements with the companies BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin and Honeywell to boost production of defense systems and munitions as part of its shift to “wartime footing.”

Under the deals, Honeywell Aerospace will “surge production of critical components for America’s munitions stockpile,” as part of a $500 million multi-year investment, the Pentagon said.

BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin will also quadruple production of seekers for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor, which has been used to intercept ballistic missiles launched at Israel from Iran.

Meanwhile, a new framework agreement with Lockheed will accelerate production of its Precision Strike Missile, the Pentagon added.

Government gives IDF permission to summon up to 400,000 reservists amid Iran, Hezbollah wars

The government has approved the call-up of up to 400,000 reservists, amid the ongoing conflicts with Iran and Hezbollah.

The military says that this does not constitute the actual number of reservists that the IDF will be calling up, but rather a “ceiling that allows flexibility… according to operational needs.”

“The framework is intended to address challenges across the various arenas, particularly within the framework of Operation Roaring Lion,” the IDF says, referring to the current war with Iran.

The previous cap was 280,000, approved in December.

Authorizing the IDF to draft reservists with emergency call-up orders has been brought for government approval every few months since the beginning of the war with Hamas in October 2023.

Netanyahu to convene security cabinet this evening to discuss ‘all theaters,’ official says

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a security meeting this evening with a small circle of advisers, then convene the security cabinet, his office tells The Times of Israel.

The cabinet meeting will deal with “all theaters,” says the PMO official.

The discussions come as US President Donald Trump pushes for talks with Iran about ending the war.

Iranian strikes pose ‘existential threat,’ Gulf states tell UN rights council

Gulf Arab states tell the United Nations Human Rights Council that they face an existential threat from Iran.

The Gulf nations also condemn Iranian attacks on their infrastructure and say Iran’s actions are designed to spread terror.

“We are seeing an existential threat to international and regional security. This aggressive approach is undermining international law and sovereignty,” Kuwait’s ambassador Naser Abdullah H. M. Alhayen tells the Geneva-based council.

Countries at the 47-member council will vote on a motion condemning Iran’s strikes, asking Iran for reparation and asking the UN rights chief to monitor the situation.

Iran defends its actions, saying more than 1,500 civilians had been killed in the US-Israeli strikes so far.

More...

Report: US sent Iran a 15-point plan to end the war

Report: US sent Iran a 15-point plan to end the war

Elad Benari

The United States has sent Iran a 15-point plan to end the war in the Middle East, The New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing two officials briefed on the diplomacy. 

It was unclear how widely the plan, delivered by way of Pakistan, had been shared among Iranian officials and whether Iran was likely to accept it as a basis for negotiations. It is also unclear whether Israel is on board with the proposal.

The New York Times did not see a copy of the plan, but the officials, who spoke with the newspaper on condition of anonymity, shared some of its broad outlines, saying that it addresses Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

The plan also discusses maritime routes, one of the officials said. Since the beginning of the war, Iran has effectively blocked most Western ships from safely passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway in and out of the Persian Gulf, cutting the global supply of oil and natural gas, and sending the prices soaring.

In a statement, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged diplomacy was underway, but said, “As President Trump and his negotiators explore this newfound possibility of diplomacy, Operation Epic Fury continues unabated to achieve the military objectives laid out by the commander in chief and the Pentagon."

Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, has emerged as the key interlocutor between the United States and Iran, with Egypt and Turkey encouraging the Iranians to engage constructively, the officials told The New York Times. Field Marshal Munir is believed to maintain close ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, putting him in a position to pass messages between the warring sides, they said.

He recently reached out to Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s Parliament and a former Revolutionary Guards commander, proposing that Pakistan host talks between Iran and the United States, said an Iranian official and a Pakistani official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive communications.

Field Marshal Munir met twice in 2025 with President Trump, who has showered praise on him, saying he was his “favorite field marshal."

President Donald Trump spoke to the press at the White House earlier on Tuesday about the ongoing war in Iran and claimed that Iran has given the US "a very big present."

Asked why he would engage in talks despite that lack of trust, Trump said, "Because they're going to make a deal. They're going to make a deal."

The President pointed to a recent development as evidence of progress. "They did something yesterday that was amazing, actually. They gave us a present, and the present arrived today. It was a very big present, worth a tremendous amount of money. And I'm not going to tell you what that present is, but it was a very significant prize, and they gave it to us."

On Monday, Trump announced a five-day pause on “any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure" to allow diplomatic negotiations between Tehran and Washington, adding that the US is reaching out to “very solid" figures inside Iran.

Subsequent reports indicated that Ghalibaf was representing Iran in the talks with the US, but Ghalibaf denied that any talks were taking place at all.

"Our people demand the complete and humiliating punishment of the aggressors. All officials stand firmly behind their Leader and people until this goal is achieved," Ghalibaf wrote on social media.

According to the speaker, "No negotiations with America have taken place. Fake news is intended to manipulate financial and oil markets and to escape the quagmire in which America and Israel are trapped."

Engineered Energy Scarcity as a Means of Enslavement

Prepare to Survive Engineered Energy Scarcity as a Means of Total Enslavement

Mike Adams

Introduction: Seeing the Blasts Through the Real Lens

We must discard the lens of conventional geopolitics. The real lens is what I call 'Engineered Energy Scarcity.' This is a long-term strategy of control, where the destruction of energy infrastructure is the primary objective, not a secondary effect. The blasts in Haifa are a tactical move in this strategy. As the analysis of the Ras Laffan LNG complex destruction starkly warns, we are standing on 'the precipice of the most profound, intentional collapse of human civilization in recorded history' ^[1]. This isn't hyperbole; it's the observable pattern.

Every time a refinery, a pipeline, or a gas train is targeted, remember this: The goal is not to win a territory. The goal is to sever the lifeline of abundance that enables human freedom. We are witnessing a declared war on the energy that powers our homes, our farms, our industries, and our lives. To understand the coming famine, chaos, and digital serfdom, you must first see through this real lens.

Why Energy Abundance is the Ultimate Threat to Their Control Grid

Let's start with a fundamental truth that the controllers desperately want you to forget: Abundant, cheap energy is the bedrock of human freedom. It enables travel, innovation, family formation, and genuine self-reliance. When energy is plentiful, people can move, think, create, and build without begging for permission. This is why the globalist agenda fundamentally requires a population that is immobile, dependent, and desperate ^[2][3].

Scarcity is their chosen weapon. It functions as an economic and psychological choke point. When a large portion of your income and mental energy is dedicated to mere survival -- paying skyrocketing utility bills, hunting for fuel, worrying about the next meal -- you are not free. You are a dependent subject. The relationship between energy consumption and national wealth is one of history's most consistent patterns; abundant, affordable energy has been the foundation of economic prosperity ^[4]. The controllers understand this correlation perfectly, and they are determined to invert it.

Their vision is a world of enforced scarcity. The International Energy Agency's radical 10-point plan, urging sweeping oil consumption restrictions under the pretext of Middle East disruptions, is a clear blueprint for this ^[5]. Lower speed limits, car-free Sundays, mandated remote work -- these are not solutions to a supply problem. They are methods to curtail personal mobility and freedom, to make you more manageable. Energy abundance terrifies them because it decentralizes power. Energy scarcity ensures their centralized grid remains intact.

More...

How Our Cars Are Becoming 24/7 Surveillance Machines

Watched Behind the Wheel: How Our Cars Are Becoming 24/7 Surveillance Machines

PNW STAFF

There was a time when getting behind the wheel meant freedom. The open road symbolized independence, privacy, and the simple ability to go where you wanted--without being watched. Today, that vision is quietly fading. 

In its place, a new reality is emerging: one where your car is no longer just a machine, but a data-collecting, behavior-monitoring, algorithm-driven observer. And increasingly, it may not just watch you--it may decide what you're allowed to do.

Recent reporting and federal policy developments tied to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act reveal a growing push to embed advanced driver-monitoring systems into every new vehicle. Section 24220 of the law mandates the development of "advanced impaired driving technology," designed to passively monitor drivers and prevent operation if impairment is detected. 

On the surface, the goal sounds noble: reduce drunk driving deaths and improve road safety. But beneath that goal lies a far more complex--and unsettling--shift in how much of our personal lives are being tracked, analyzed, and potentially controlled.

At the heart of this transformation is artificial intelligence. Modern vehicles are increasingly equipped with inward-facing cameras, biometric sensors, and software capable of tracking eye movement, facial expressions, and even subtle behavioral patterns. These systems can determine whether you're distracted, tired, or possibly impaired. Some proposals even include technology capable of detecting alcohol levels beneath the skin without requiring a breathalyzer.

Supporters argue this is a technological breakthrough. Human error, after all, is responsible for the vast majority of accidents. If AI can step in and prevent tragedy, why wouldn't we embrace it?

But that argument assumes a level of trust that many Americans are no longer willing to give.

Because once your car is watching your face, tracking your movements, and analyzing your behavior, a critical question emerges: where does all that data go?

This isn't hypothetical. Companies like Tesla and General Motors already collect vast amounts of vehicle data, from driving habits to location history. Insurance companies are increasingly offering--or pressuring drivers into--usage-based programs that monitor speed, braking, and time of travel. Drive too fast? Your premium goes up. Brake too hard? That's another mark against you.

Now imagine that system expanded--and mandated.

Several states have already explored or implemented "mileage-based taxation"--a system that charges drivers per mile instead of per gallon of gas. On paper, it's a response to declining gas tax revenues as electric vehicles become more common. In practice, it requires one thing: constant tracking of your vehicle's location and movement.

The implications are enormous. A system designed to tax mileage could easily evolve into one that enforces driving limits, restricts travel in certain areas, or penalizes behavior deemed undesirable. Combine that with AI-driven monitoring, and your car begins to look less like personal property--and more like a regulated node in a larger surveillance network.

Even more concerning is the issue of control.

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