ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran has officially responded to a 15-point proposal by the United States to end the deadly war that has been ongoing since late February, media affiliated with Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported on Thursday, while casting doubt on Washington’s intentions. This comes hours after US President Donald Trump warned Tehran to “get serious” and strike a deal “before it is too late.”
Tasnim News Agency cited “an informed source” as saying that Iran’s response to Washington’s 15-point proposal “was officially sent last night [Wednesday evening] through intermediaries” and that “Iran is now waiting for the other [American] side’s response.”
According to the source, the Iranian response emphasized that the “[US and Israeli] enemy’s acts of aggression and assassination must end” and that “objective conditions must be established to ensure a war is not repeated.” Tehran also reportedly demanded that “war damages and compensation must be guaranteed and clearly defined.”
The US and Israel on February 28 launched a coordinated military campaign against Iran amid ongoing nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran. US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Brad Cooper reported on Thursday that the operation, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, struck more than 10,000 targets across Iran, aiming to achieve “clear military objectives of eliminating Iran’s ability to project power in meaningful ways beyond its borders.”
In response, Tehran has continued to carry out drone and missile strikes across the Middle East, targeting alleged US assets in the region, particularly in Gulf Arab states, and has launched retaliatory attacks against Israel.
The Iranian response has also involved Iraqi armed groups aligned with the Iran-led ‘Axis of Resistance,’ including shadowy militias claiming to target alleged US assets in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, as well as the Lebanese Hezbollah movement, which carried out attacks on northern Israeli territory in early March and has since been engaged in renewed confrontations with Tel Aviv.
According to the “official source” cited by Tasnim, Iran’s response to the US’s 15‑point proposal calls for an end to the war “across all fronts” and demands that hostilities cease with all groups aligned with the ‘Axis of Resistance’ that are “involved in this conflict throughout the region.”
The source reportedly noted that Tehran’s response urges that Iranian “sovereignty over” the strategic Strait of Hormuz should be recognized as “a natural and legal right,” and that the “implementation of commitments by the other side must be guaranteed and recognized.”
The Strait has since late February been effectively closed to commercial traffic after the IRGC warned it would “set ablaze” any ship attempting passage. The key chokepoint links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the open ocean and is often described as the world’s most critical energy artery, typically handling around 25 percent of all seaborne-traded oil and 20 percent of global petroleum consumption. Hormuz is also the primary exit for nearly 20 percent of the world’s liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Clock is ticking
The report on Iran’s response comes hours after US President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Tehran to “get serious” about striking a deal to end the ongoing conflict. In remarks posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated that Iran had “been militarily obliterated, with zero chance of a comeback,” and was “begging” for a deal.
“They [Iranian negotiators] better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is no turning back, and it won’t be pretty,” Trump warned, without specifying whom his negotiating team - comprising envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner - was engaging with.
Earlier, on Tuesday, the US president revealed that Washington had made a 15‑point proposal to Tehran to end the conflict, with sources telling Reuters that the proposal reportedly includes demands for curbing Iran’s nuclear and missile programs and transferring control of the Strait of Hormuz.
However, the outlet quoted Iranian sources as reporting that Tehran has hardened its stance since the war began, demanding guarantees against future military action, compensation for losses, and formal control of the Strait of Hormuz, and has stated that Lebanon must be included in any ceasefire deal.
According to the official source who spoke to Tasnim, Iran views the US proposal with deep skepticism, describing Washington’s push as a “deception” designed to “mislead the world by presenting a seemingly peace‑seeking image, keep global oil prices low, and buy time to prepare for a new aggressive action in southern Iran through a ground incursion.”