Tehran has dismissed the latest ceasefire offer and is pushing for a permanent resolution to the conflict, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency. This development was revealed just before U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his ultimatum, setting a deadline of Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on its power plants and other crucial infrastructure.
During a press briefing on Monday, Trump emphasized the swift potential destruction of Iran’s bridges and power facilities. He stated confidently in Washington that the military’s capabilities would lead to the devastation of all Iranian bridges by midnight the following day. Trump further added that power plants in Iran would be rendered inoperable, with explosions and fires ensuring their permanent incapacitation. The President declined to specify any exemptions for civilian targets in the anticipated U.S. response.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cautioned the U.S. against targeting civilian infrastructure, highlighting the prohibition of such actions under international law. The Secretary-General’s spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, stressed that even if specific civilian infrastructure could be considered a military target, any attack causing excessive civilian harm would still be unlawful.
Trump expressed no concern about the possibility of committing war crimes when questioned by reporters. He claimed that ordinary Iranians were supportive of continued bombings in their country, citing intercepted communications where citizens purportedly urged the U.S. to persist with military actions for the sake of freedom.
Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, the head of the Iranian diplomatic mission in Cairo, stated to The Associated Press that Iran rejected a temporary ceasefire and insisted on a definitive end to hostilities with guarantees of non-recurrence of attacks. Efforts to mediate a new 45-day ceasefire proposal were circulating among Egyptian, Pakistani, and Turkish diplomats, aiming to facilitate discussions for a lasting peace amid the impending deadline set by Trump for the strait’s reopening.
In a separate development, Israel’s defense minister disclosed that Israel had conducted an attack on the South Pars petrochemical plant in southern Iran. Tensions escalated further as the conflict between Iran, the U.S., and Israel unfolded, resulting in retaliatory strikes and casualties on all sides. The conflict has exacted a heavy toll, causing widespread disruptions and economic instability while raising concerns about potential war crimes.
The UN’s nuclear watchdog confirmed recent strikes near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, underscoring the peril posed to nuclear safety by such attacks. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that strikes had occurred in close proximity to the facility but assured that no damage had been inflicted on the plant itself as of the latest assessment. The IAEA’s director general urged an end to such attacks, emphasizing the severe threat they pose to nuclear facilities’ safety and security.