Iran Rejects U.S. Ceasefire Plan, Demands Hormuz Sovereignty as 82nd Airborne Deploys to Gulf
Pentagon: elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, approximately 2,000 paratroopers, are deploying to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.
MIDDLE EAST — Iran has formally rejected the United States’ 15-point ceasefire proposal and issued five counter-demands, including a claim of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state-run news.
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The rejection came as a Pentagon spokesperson confirmed elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, approximately 2,000 paratroopers, are deploying to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed on March 26 that Pakistan is serving as the primary intermediary between Washington and Tehran, conveying messages between the parties.
Dar noted that “the US has presented 15 points which Iran is currently reviewing,” with Turkey and Egypt providing supporting roles.
CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper reported in a March 25 video update that U.S. forces have struck more than 10,000 Iranian targets since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, nearly doubling the 5,500 figure reported on March 11.
Cooper added that 92 percent of Iran’s largest naval vessels have been destroyed and over two-thirds of its missile, drone, and naval production facilities have been damaged or degraded.
Iran’s Ceasefire Counterproposal and Hormuz Sovereignty Demand
The five counter-demands issued through Press TV, attributed to an anonymous senior Iranian official, include a halt to the killing of Iranian officials, safeguards against future attacks on Iran, reparations for the war, an end to hostilities across all fronts including allied groups, and Iran’s “exercise of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.”
The Hormuz demand carried specific language: “Iran’s exercise of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz is and will remain Iran’s natural and legal right, and it constitutes a guarantee for the implementation of the other party’s commitments, and must be recognized.”
The official added that “Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and when its own conditions are met.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that no direct negotiations with the United States are planned or underway. Iran characterized the U.S. 15-point plan as “maximalist” and “unreasonable.”
On March 26, President Trump announced a 10-day extension of the pause on strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure, pushing the deadline to April 6 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Trump stated Iran had requested the extension and that Tehran had allowed several oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, which he characterized as a signal of engagement.
Assessment: The Hormuz sovereignty demand goes beyond standard ceasefire terms. Iran is attempting to convert a military conflict into a permanent legal concession over the waterway that handles roughly 20 percent of global oil transit, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
The demand functions as both a negotiating anchor and a signal that Tehran views the current conflict as leverage for long-term strategic gains, not merely a war to be ended.
The April 6 deadline creates a defined window for diplomatic progress. Iran’s request for the extension, despite publicly rejecting the 15-point plan, indicates Tehran is maintaining a back channel even as it postures publicly.
The reparations demand is also novel and has no precedent in recent Middle Eastern ceasefire negotiations.
Pakistan Confirms Lead Mediation Role
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed Pakistan’s mediation role in a statement on March 26. “Pakistan is playing a crucial mediatory role by conveying messages between the parties,” Dar stated.
He described the effort as dismissing “unnecessary media speculation” about the status of talks and added that “negotiations and diplomacy are the only paths to ensure lasting peace.”
Dar specified that Turkey and Egypt, along with other states, are providing “full support” in a supporting capacity. This is the first public, named confirmation that indirect U.S.-Iran talks are underway through a specific intermediary.
Assessment: Pakistan’s role as lead mediator rather than Egypt shifts the diplomatic dynamic. Islamabad maintains working relationships with both Tehran and Washington, and Pakistan’s nuclear-armed status gives it a different weight at the table than Cairo. The fact that Dar made a public statement suggests Pakistan wants credit for the mediation effort, which may indicate the channel is producing enough progress to be worth claiming.
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