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U.S. President Donald Trump has dismissed suggestions he is under pressure to secure a peace deal with Iran, even as his administration points to tentative signs of renewed diplomacy amid an intensifying regional conflict.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump rejected reports that he was eager to reach an agreement with Tehran, insisting instead that the Islamic republic was the party seeking talks.
"I read a story today that I'm desperate to make a deal. I'm the opposite of desperate. I don't care," AFP reported him saying.
His remarks came as US envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed for the first time that Washington had transmitted a 15-point proposal to Tehran via Pakistani intermediaries, describing "strong signs" that Iran may be willing to negotiate.
"We will see where things lead, and if we can convince Iran that this is the inflection point with no good alternatives for them, other than more death and destruction," Witkoff said.
Despite this diplomatic outreach, Trump struck an uncompromising tone during the televised meeting, alternating between threats of overwhelming force and assertions that Iran was already weakening.
"They want to make a deal. The reason they want to make a deal is they have been just beat to shit," he said.
He also raised the possibility of US control over Iranian oil resources, drawing comparisons with Washington’s past dealings in Venezuela. "It's an option," he said.
On the ground, however, concerns are mounting over the sustainability of Israel’s military campaign. Opposition leader Yair Lapid warned that the country’s armed forces are under severe strain as they confront multiple theatres, including operations against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon while coordinating with US strikes on Iran.
"The IDF is stretched to the limit and beyond. The government is leaving the army wounded out on the battlefield," Lapid said.
"The government is sending the army into a multi-front war without a strategy, without the necessary means, and with far too few soldiers," he added, echoing earlier concerns raised by military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir.
Military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin reinforced those warnings, pointing to the need for additional troops along the Lebanese front.
"On the Lebanese front, the forward defensive zone that we are creating requires additional IDF forces ... For that, more combat soldiers are needed in the IDF," he said.
In Tehran, state-linked Tasnim News Agency reported that Iran had formally responded to the US proposal through intermediaries, outlining demands that include a halt to US and Israeli military actions against Iran and its regional allies, as well as compensation for war damage and recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
"Iran's response to the 15 points proposed by the US was officially sent last night through intermediaries, and Iran is awaiting the other side's response," the agency said, citing an unnamed official.
The report underscored the wide gap between the two sides, with Tehran’s conditions extending well beyond the scope of Washington’s proposal.
Meanwhile, hostilities continue to escalate. Iran has faced near-daily bombardment since late February, with Israeli strikes on Thursday reported across multiple cities, including Isfahan, Shiraz and Bandar Abbas. Israel said one attack had killed senior Revolutionary Guards naval commander Alireza Tangsiri.
An AFP reporter in Tehran described hearing warplanes overhead followed by multiple explosions, while residents in outlying areas expressed deep scepticism about the war’s outcome.
"I don't think war is the solution to these conditions, but ending it won't change much for us either," said Sadeq, a 42-year-old resident of Qeshm island.
The conflict has also spilled into the wider Gulf, with casualties reported from missile debris near Abu Dhabi and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Iran has accused regional states of facilitating US operations and has targeted energy infrastructure in response.
Oil markets, which had stabilised in recent days, reacted nervously to the mixed signals on diplomacy, with prices rising again amid fears of further disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route. - March 27, 2026
