[46692] Tension at its Peak: US Reports End of Combat, Iran Offers New Framework for Negotiations

A Dramatic Development in the Campaign Against Iran: The US Declares the End of Combat

President Donald Trump has officially informed the US Congress that the military confrontation with the Islamic Republic, which began on February 28, has come to an end following a ceasefire, according to reports in Vahid Online and Iran International. This move allows the administration to bypass the 60-day limit of the "War Powers Act" which requires Congressional authorization for continued military activity. However, prominent Democratic figures, including Senator Tim Kaine, expressed doubt regarding the accuracy of the report, noting that it does not reflect the reality on the ground.

Simultaneously, the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported that Tehran has transmitted a new 14-point proposal to end the crisis to Pakistan, which is serving as a mediator. President Trump dismissed the proposal, telling reporters at the White House that he is "not happy with the terms" presented. Trump emphasized that Iran faces two options: "a deal or total annihilation," noting that despite his human preference to avoid annihilation, the military option remains on the table.

On the military front, the situation remains tense. Reports in CNN indicate that Iranian strikes caused damage to 16 American military facilities across the Middle East, a claim denied by the White House. On the other hand, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was quoted in Vahid Online as saying that the US is working toward the "economic strangulation" of Iran, including examining sanctions on pension funds outside the country, in order to collapse Tehran's military capabilities.

In addition, it was reported in Iran International on diplomatic tension with Germany, after Trump threatened to reduce US forces in the country following criticism from Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The Pentagon confirmed that it will indeed begin the process of withdrawing 5,000 soldiers from Germany over the coming year. Finally, the affair of the expulsion of the head of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, from Canada continues to cause ripples, after he was prevented from entering the country due to his past in the Revolutionary Guards.