Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the new supreme leader of Iran, has rejected proposals to reduce tensions or secure a ceasefire with the United States that were relayed to Tehran through two intermediary countries, according to Reuters and a senior Iranian official cited in its report Tuesday.
The unnamed official told Reuters that Khamenei took a hard line in his first foreign policy session and rejected the idea of peace at this stage. The official said Khamenei’s position on revenge against the United States and Israel was “very tough and serious,” but did not clarify whether he attended the session in person.
According to the report, Khamenei said it was not the right time for peace until the United States and Israel were “brought to their knees, accept defeat, and pay compensation.”
The war is now in its third week, and there is no end in sight. The Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed, putting pressure on energy markets and raising fears of inflation.
Reuters also said U.S. allies have pushed back on President Donald Trump’s request for help reopening the strategic waterway.
Reuters had previously reported on March 14 that three sources said the Trump administration rebuffed efforts by Middle Eastern allies to begin diplomatic negotiations aimed at ending the war.
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