Donald Trump is amassing a formidable force of 7,000 troops near Iran, escalating tensions as the Islamic regime dismisses a proposed 15-point peace plan, countering with demands deemed ‘ridiculous’ by U.S. officials.
In a significant military move, the Pentagon has deployed approximately 2,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East. They are set to join an already en route contingent of 4,500 Marines, signaling a potential ground invasion.
According to insiders, the President is ready to initiate a full-scale military intervention should Iran persist in rejecting diplomatic efforts. “Trump is extending one hand for a deal, while the other is clenched and ready to strike,” a Trump aide conveyed to Axios, underscoring the administration’s dual approach.
The peace proposal, inspired by Trump’s previous efforts in Gaza, demands that Iran dismantle its nuclear and missile programs, ensure free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and cease support for proxy terrorist organizations. However, Iran has publicly rejected the ceasefire plan.
In response, Iranian state television announced Tehran’s demands, which include the closure of all U.S. military bases in the Gulf, compensation for past conflicts, and a halt to Israeli military actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon. These demands have further complicated diplomatic negotiations, heightening the risk of military confrontation.
But Iranian state TV on Wednesday said that the regime had rejected the ceasefire proposal. Instead, Tehran is demanding the closure of all US bases in the Gulf, reparations, and an end to Israeli military strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Tehran is also seeking to bring the Strait – a chokepoint for roughly a fifth of the world’s oil – under its control, allowing it to charge transit fees on passing vessels, much like Egypt does with the Suez Canal.
Oil prices lurched widely, with Brent crude prices falling as low as $97 per barrel on Tuesday on news of the peace plan, before rising back to $102 on Wednesday.
Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday
A Trump official described Iran’s demands as ‘ridiculous’ and ‘unrealistic,’ warning that reaching a deal is now more difficult than before the war
Iran has refuted Trump’s peace plan with far-reaching demands
The Islamic regime is demanding control of the Strait of Hormuz
A Trump official described Iran’s demands as ‘ridiculous’ and ‘unrealistic,’ warning that reaching a deal is now more difficult than before the war began as the President prepares a potential ground invasion force.
US and Iranian diplomats have not spoken through direct contact and instead communicate via Middle Eastern intermediaries from Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan.
The President called for a one-month ceasefire on Tuesday during which the two sides could thrash out the negotiations on the 15-point peace plan.
The plan now stands in complete contrast to the demands being issued from Tehran.
Ceding control of the Strait of Hormuz remains a non-starter for Saudi Arabia as Riyadh urges Trump to stay in the fight.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has repeatedly urged Trump to finish the Islamic regime in calls over the last week, including the use of ground forces to seize Iran’s energy sites.
Iran remains wary of Trump’s envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, accusing them of ‘backstabbing’ Tehran in negotiations before the US and Israel launched strikes on February 28.
Iranian officials are pushing for Vice President JD Vance to lead the US negotiating team, believing he is sympathetic after privately expressing doubts about Operation Epic Fury.
Smoke and flames rise at the site of airstrikes on an oil depot in Tehran on March 7
Thousands of US troops are expected to deploy to the Middle East in the coming days
Trump is facing intense pressure to end the conflict after the Iranian stranglehold on the narrow Strait of Hormuz sent global oil prices skyrocketing.
Trump announced a five-day halt to US strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure on Monday while urging Tehran to return to the negotiating table.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammed-Baqer Qalibaf has emerged as the country’s de-facto leader and the preferred interlocutor for Trump officials.
Qalibaf has denied talks with Washington.
