The Middle East continues to boil: Iran rejects US 48-hour ceasefire proposal

Iran has reportedly rejected a short-term ceasefire offer from the United States, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency said, citing unnamed sources. The offer, made on Wednesday through an unidentified intermediary country, calls for a 48-hour cessation of hostilities, Reuters quoted sources as telling the Fars newspaper. The rejection comes as the Middle East enters its fifth straight month of war with no end in sight. U.S. officials confirmed that earlier on Friday local time, Iran targeted another U.S. aircraft near the Strait of Hormuz and shot down an A-10 Warthog attack aircraft. The Iranian military claimed responsibility for the attack. This is the second U.S. jet to be attacked by Iran this week, following the earlier downing of an F-15 fighter jet.As the war continues to escalate, regional countries, including Pakistan, have failed to make progress in their efforts to mediate between the two sides. Iran has told intermediaries that it does not plan to hold talks with U.S. officials in Islamabad in the coming days and considers U.S. demands unacceptable. Meanwhile, Türkiye and Egypt are also exploring alternative venues for potential discussions, with Qatar and Istanbul being considered.Recent comments from U.S. President Donald Trump have also heightened tensions. A senior Iranian official has dismissed Trump’s assertion that Iran’s “new regime president” is seeking a ceasefire. In response, the official rejected Trump’s social media post, saying “the president of Iran’s new regime… just demanded a ceasefire from the United States of America!”Tehran instead insisted on guaranteeing a ceasefire to permanently end the conflict, Reuters reported, citing senior Iranian sources. The sources added that discussions on a temporary truce had not yet taken place, although intermediaries were contacted on Tuesday to continue diplomatic contacts.The Iranian authorities also publicly refuted Trump’s remarks. The Consulate General of Iran in Mumbai criticized his remarks in a post on“Reality check: The president will not be replaced by tweets… that is what elections are for,” it added.Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry reiterated its stance, rejecting claims that Tehran was seeking a ceasefire. “Trump’s remarks about Iran’s demand for a ceasefire are false and baseless,” spokesman Esmael Bakaj was quoted as saying by state television.The development comes as tensions continue to rise a month into the Middle East crisis. After the United States and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran, Tehran responded by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, shocking global oil markets.