On March 30, US President Donald Trump warned that he would destroy Iran's energy facilities if Tehran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, in the context that the country called peace proposals from Washington "unrealistic and illogical".
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that Tehran has received a peace proposal through intermediaries, but emphasized Iran's stance of focusing on defense against what they describe as military attacks. On March 30, the Iranian Parliament also passed a bill banning US and Israeli ships and charging commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
The month-long conflict, starting with airstrikes by the US and Israel on Iran, has spread throughout the region, causing heavy casualties and disrupting global energy supplies. Iran currently controls the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping route of about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas sources, putting great pressure on the energy market.
Meanwhile, the US continues to increase its military presence as thousands of soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division have begun to be deployed to the Middle East, expanding military options for Washington. The White House said that Mr. Trump still wants to reach an agreement ahead of the deadline he set, but warned that he will take strong action if there is no progress.
At the same time, attacks continued on many fronts. Israel launched airstrikes on targets they believed to be military facilities in Tehran and infrastructure of Hezbollah forces in Beirut. A ballistic missile from Iran is believed to have flown into Turkish airspace before being intercepted. Houthi forces in Yemen also launched drones targeting Israel.
US officials affirmed that negotiations are still ongoing, but there is a difference between Iran's public statement and what it has discussed privately. A Pakistani security official said that the possibility of direct dialogue between the two sides in the near future is not high.
