ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US President Donald Trump said Friday that the downing of American fighter jets would not affect negotiations with Iran, as fighting between the two sides continues.
US and Israeli aircraft carried out numerous sorties on Friday, striking dozens of targets across Iran, including Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, and areas near the Persian Gulf. Tehran said it had shot down an F-15 warplane, while US media reported American special forces had rescued one of its two crew members, with the other still missing.
“No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war," Trump told NBC when asked whether the downing of the fighter jets would affect negotiations with Tehran.
Meanwhile, Iran has rejected a US proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire, an informed source told the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) news agency on Friday. The proposal was conveyed to Tehran via a friendly country, but Iran decided not to respond in writing.
Diplomatic efforts involving Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan have recently been launched to try to end the war. Last week, Pakistani officials said Islamabad had conveyed to Iran a 15-point plan containing US proposals, but Iranian media reported that Tehran offered a five-point counterproposal calling for an end to what it described as "aggression" and for guarantees that neither the United States nor Israel would resume hostilities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that Tehran "has not offered anything in response" to the US plan and that reported Iranian responses were "merely guesses" from a media outlet.
The development comes as the Iran-Israel-US war entered day 35 on Saturday, after Washington and Tel Aviv on February 28 launched a coordinated military campaign against Iran.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on Thursday that its forces have struck more than 12,300 targets across the country since the start of the joint operation, adding that over 155 Iranian vessels have been damaged or destroyed.
In response, Tehran has carried out thousands of drone and missile strikes across the Middle East, targeting alleged US assets in the region, particularly in Gulf Arab states, as well as launching retaliatory attacks against Israel.