Iran Rejects US Ceasefire Claims as Conflict With Israel and US Enters 17th Day

Tehran, March 2026 : Iran has firmly rejected claims by the United States that it sought a ceasefire or negotiations amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, with the country’s Foreign Minister insisting that Tehran has not requested any truce and will continue to resist what it calls an “illegal war.”

Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Monday dismissed US assertions that Iran had approached Washington for a ceasefire. In a post on the social media platform X, he described such claims as “delusional” and accused Donald Trump of imposing an unjust conflict.

Araghchi said Iran’s armed forces would continue fighting until the US leadership recognises that the war has been wrongly initiated and should never be repeated. According to him, the conflict must end in a way that prevents similar attacks on Iran in the future.

Speaking at a weekly press conference in Tehran later in the day, the foreign minister clarified that Iran’s refusal to accept a ceasefire does not mean the country wants the war to continue indefinitely. Instead, he said, Tehran wants guarantees that attacks against its territory will not occur again.

“When we say we do not want a ceasefire, it is not because we want to prolong the war,” Araghchi stated. “It is because the war must end in a way that ensures our enemies will never think of launching such attacks again.”

The Iranian minister also accused Iran’s adversaries of attempting to force the country into “unconditional surrender.” He argued that after mobilising extensive military and diplomatic resources against Iran, those countries are now seeking international assistance to secure shipping in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Araghchi claimed that Iran only restricts passage through the vital waterway for nations directly involved in the conflict or supporting its adversaries.

The latest escalation began on February 28, when United States and Israel launched joint air strikes on several Iranian cities, including Tehran. According to Iranian reports, the attacks killed numerous civilians, senior military officials, and former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran subsequently retaliated with multiple waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli territory and US bases and assets across the Middle East, significantly widening the scope of the confrontation.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces said on Monday that it had destroyed an aircraft used by Iran’s top leadership at Mehrabad Airport. Israeli officials claimed the strike would disrupt communication and coordination between Iran’s leadership and its regional allies.

According to the Israeli military, the aircraft was an Airbus A340 that had previously transported senior Iranian political and military figures on domestic and international trips. The plane had reportedly been used by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and earlier by former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during diplomatic visits abroad.

Iranian authorities did not immediately confirm the reported strike.

Mehrabad Airport, located in western Tehran, is one of Iran’s oldest aviation hubs. While most international long-haul flights now operate from Imam Khomeini International Airport, Mehrabad remains the country’s busiest domestic airport and also hosts several military facilities, including units of the Iranian Air Force.

Separately, the Israeli military said it conducted additional strikes on infrastructure targets in the Iranian cities of Shiraz and Tabriz on Monday as the US–Israeli military campaign against Iran entered its 17th day, further intensifying tensions across the region.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)