Tehran – Washington: Europe and the Arabs – Agencies

The deadline set by US President Donald Trump for the Islamic Republic of Iran is nearing its end, with no clear breakthroughs in the ceasefire proposals, raising the specter of a new escalation and a more violent round of fighting than in recent days. Trump said on Tuesday that Iran could be "taken out in one night," describing the current situation as a "critical period" dependent on Tehran's actions. According to a report published by the European News Network in Brussels on Tuesday, Trump reiterated his threats to target bridges and power plants in Iran, claiming that the Iranian people would be "willing to endure suffering" if it ultimately led to their freedom. Tehran, however, warned that the repercussions of such attacks would extend beyond the region.

On Monday, Trump described a proposal prepared by countries working to implement a 45-day ceasefire as "an important step" but "not enough," while Iran rejected it, calling for a permanent end to the war, according to Iranian state media. The Iranian Proposal: 10 Points Conveyed Through Pakistan

Meanwhile, US media outlets revealed that Tehran has submitted a 10-point proposal to end the war with the United States and Israel. This proposal, conveyed through Pakistan, includes a guarantee that Iran will not be attacked again, a halt to Israeli strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the lifting of all sanctions.

According to The New York Times, Tehran would reciprocate by lifting its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and imposing a fee of approximately $2 million on each ship transiting the strait. This fee would be shared with the Sultanate of Oman, located on the opposite side of the strait. According to the plan, Iran would use its share of these revenues to rebuild infrastructure damaged by US and Israeli attacks, rather than demanding direct compensation.

Iranian state media reported that the proposal "rejects a ceasefire" and emphasizes "the necessity of a permanent end to the war in accordance with Iran's considerations." They further stated that Iran demonstrated its superiority in the war by disrupting navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and shooting down several US fighter jets. On March 24, Washington sent a 15-point proposal to end the war with Iran to Pakistan for transmission to Tehran. However, Iran rejected it and submitted a list of counter-proposals, some of which were reiterated in Monday's proposal.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said during a press conference on Monday that the previous US proposal, conveyed through intermediaries, was "excessively exaggerated, unprecedented, and illogical."

Pentagon Expands Target List

In the same context, Politico reported that the Pentagon is working to expand its list of Iranian energy sites that could be targeted to include sites that provide fuel and electricity to both civilians and the military. This move is likely an attempt to circumvent accusations of war crimes if critical infrastructure is targeted. The website quoted two sources as saying that the "dual-use" nature of these targets could legitimize their targeting.

The same source stated that the current negotiations are being led by Steve Witkopf, Trump's special envoy, and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law. Vice President J.D. Vance may join if the pair make sufficient progress. On Monday, Trump noted Vance's involvement, saying, "We're negotiating with them in front of them until 8:00 PM tomorrow, Eastern Time, but we are negotiating with them... I think things are going very well. Mr. Witkopf is here, and J.D. Vance is involved in the negotiations."

Axios reported in late March that some Israeli officials were trying to undermine Vance's efforts to broker successful negotiations with Iran because they considered him not tough enough.

In this context, CNN quoted an Israeli source as saying that Tel Aviv is highly skeptical about the possibility of reaching an agreement. The source added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conveyed his concerns about potential ceasefire agreements during recent discussions with Trump, emphasizing that Israel believes any ceasefire must include Iran surrendering its entire stockpile of enriched uranium and committing to a complete halt to its enrichment activities.

Netanyahu and Trump spoke by phone on Sunday evening following the rescue of the American pilots whose plane was shot down over Iran. An Israeli source familiar with the conversation stated that the two leaders discussed prospects for diplomatic solutions, along with additional military coordination between Israel and the United States regarding Iran.

On the 39th day of the military confrontation between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other, the exchange of strikes between the parties involved continues.

Israel stated that it carried out a wide-ranging wave of airstrikes inside Iran, while Tehran announced the launch of missile barrages toward southern Israel. According to the Egyptian news website Youm7, which reported the incident,

In the context of the political escalation, US President Donald Trump renewed his warning to Iran, threatening harsh measures that could return it to the "Stone Age" if it does not agree to a deal before the deadline of 8:00 PM Eastern Time on Tuesday. Trump emphasized that his country does not intend to grant Tehran any further extension beyond this time.

For its part, the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported that Iran conveyed its response to the US proposal to end the war to Pakistan. According to the agency, Tehran rejected the idea of ​​a ceasefire in its current form, stressing the necessity of reaching a settlement that would definitively end the war.    

A spokesperson for Senator Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that the 142nd Artillery Brigade of the Arkansas National Guard departed early Tuesday morning for the Middle East.

The 142nd Field Artillery Brigade is one of the most prominent formations of the Arkansas National Guard, comprising specialized artillery units capable of providing advanced fire support in various combat environments.

For his part, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth emphasized the continuation of military strikes against Iran, noting that they had carried out what he described as the largest wave of US strikes since the start of operations.

In remarks reported by CBS News, the Secretary said, "Iran faces a critical choice, and it must choose wisely."

He also praised the rescue operation of the American pilot, despite what he described as the difficult field conditions during the mission.

Meanwhile, Israel has been holding four of its soldiers for weeks, interrogating them on suspicion of spying for Iran, according to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. The soldiers were arrested weeks ago on suspicion of collaborating with Iranian intelligence, the newspaper reported on Monday, when some information about the case was released. They are conscripted soldiers.

Israeli police confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, with most details of the case classified under a gag order.

The suspects are believed to have acted at the behest of Iranian agents to manufacture explosives and conduct experiments with the materials they produced.

According to details of the case, the accused carried out these activities during the ongoing war.

Israeli officials consider this case a new escalation in espionage activities linked to Iran.

This comes amidst the war that Israel and the United States have been waging against Iran since February 28, a war that is escalating and causing significant concern in the Middle East and severely impacting the global economy.

Iranian authorities have announced the arrest of individuals for spying for Israel, with the latest group of 20 people apprehended in the northwestern region of the country.