Overview
- Trump, speaking Monday at the White House Easter event, called Iran’s latest offer a significant step yet said it was not good enough and warned of strikes on bridges and power plants if his Tuesday deadline is missed.
- The White House confirmed a 45-day ceasefire plan is under review but said the president has not approved it and that U.S. military operations under Operation Epic Fury continue.
- Iran rejected the mediator-drafted truce and sent a 10-point counterproposal that a U.S. official called maximalist, as Tehran pressed for a permanent end to attacks with guarantees rather than a short pause.
- Regional go-betweens, including contacts through Pakistan with Egypt and Turkey also involved, worked on a framework that pairs an immediate halt to fighting with follow-on talks, but prospects for a quick deal remain dim.
- The confrontation now turns on control of the Strait of Hormuz, which carries a large share of global oil shipments, and any failure to reach a deal could widen strikes and further roil energy markets.