Dubai, 25 Mar

Iran received a 15-point proposal from the US to reach a ceasefire in the war, two Pakistani officials said Wednesday.

The Pakistani officials described the proposal broadly as touching on sanctions relief, civilian nuclear cooperation, a rollback of Iran's nuclear programme, monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency, missile limits and access for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf.

The Trump administration reportedly offered the plan to Iran as the US appears to seek an end to the war, even while more troops head to the Middle East.

The plan was submitted to Iran by intermediaries from the government of Pakistan, which has offered to host renewed negotiations between Washington and Tehran, a person briefed on the plan's contours but who was not authorised to speak publicly told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The US military is preparing to deploy at least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East in the coming days, according to three people with knowledge of the move who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military plans.

Any talks between the US and Iran would face monumental challenges. Many of Washington's shifting objectives, particularly over Iran's ballistic missile and nuclear programs, remain difficult to achieve, and it is not clear who in Iran's government has the authority or would be willing to negotiate.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's office said he has been discussing the war this week with several counterparts, but Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran's Parliament, denied Trump's claim of direct talks and an Iranian military spokesperson declared that the fighting would go on.

Alluding to progress in talks, US President Donald Trump claimed Iran shared an oil- and gas-related “present,” a day after telling reporters that the Middle Eastern nation is eager for a deal to end the war.

South Korea downplays gas worries linked to Qatar plant strikes

South Korean trade official Yang Ki-wook said Wednesday his country has likely secured enough gas through the end of the year from alternative sources.

Yang estimated Iran's recent attacks on two Qatari liquefied natural gas plants damaged about 20 per cent of the country's capacity andi it may take three to five years to restore affected supply.

Yang says South Korea has not received direct communication from Qatar Energy following media reports it declared force majeure on long-term natural gas contracts with South Korea and other nations.

Israel issues flurry of missile alerts

Israel issued a flurry of alerts around midday Wednesday as Iran targeted large parts of the country with multiple ballistic missiles.

Police and rescue services said they were treating several sites impacted by debris from either missiles or interceptors.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Drone and rocket fire from Lebanon also continued unabated toward communities in northern israel.

Egypt foreign minister speaks with US and EU officials

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Wednesday told US envoy Massad Boulos there needs to be “concerted regional and international efforts to de-escalate the situation.”

He warned of the war's severe economic repercussions. Egypt imposed fuel price hikes in March and has announced measures including reducing official overseas trips and tightening fuel consumption across sectors.

Abdelatty also spoke with European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas and called for coordination between Egypt and the EU while seeking a diplomatic solution to the war.

China says it supports efforts to de-escalate tensions

China on Wednesday said it supports all attempts to de-escalate the tensions in the Middle East and start peace talks.

“A ceasefire and an end to hostilities are the top priority, and dialogue and negotiations are the way forward,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said in Beijing.

Lin said China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday told his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi that all parties should “seize every opportunity and window for peace” so peace talks can start as soon as possible.

“We support all efforts conducive to de-escalating the situation and resuming dialogue”, he added when asked about Pakistan as an intermediary between the US and Iran.

Hezbollah says it fired missiles at Israeli warplane

Hezbollah said Wednesday its air defence units fired surface-to-air missiles toward an Israeli warplane that was conducting strikes over southern Lebanon on Tuesday evening.

Hezbollah said the plane was forced to withdraw, adding it was the first time the group fired surface-to-air missiles against an Israeli warplane since the latest Israel-Hezbollah war broke out March 2.

Hezbollah last week said it shot down an Israeli drone over the southern village of Baraachit.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

Iran also has claimed use of a new surface-to-air missile system during the war.

Airstrike on western Iraq military clinic kills 7 troops

Iraq's Ministry of Defence says an airstrike on a military clinic in the Habbaniyeh area of Anbar province killed seven troops and wounded 13.

The ministry gave no further details about Wednesday's strike, saying rescue teams remain at the site.

The ministry condemned the attack, calling it a violation of international law and affirming its right to respond.

Japan's prime minister and IEA head discuss oil reserves 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi asked International Energy Agency head Fatih Birol to consider an additional coordinated release of some global oil reserves if Middle East tensions drag on.

Takaichi on Wednesday called for flexibility from Birol, who is in Japan as part of a regional trip to discuss the Iran war's fallout.

The release of 400 million barrels of oil from the reserves of IEA member countries is only 20 per cent of their stocks and a significant amount remains, Birol said.

“We are ready to move forward, but I very much hope that it will not be necessary,” he said, while recommending energy conservation steps including working from home.

Birol said dozens of energy installations have been damaged and will take time to come back online.

Egyptian official describes 15-point plan like a 'comprehensive deal'

An Egyptian official involved in mediation efforts between Iran and the United States described the 15-points put forward by the Americans as “like a comprehensive deal” to reach a ceasefire in the war.

The official said the proposal includes restrictions on Iran's missile programme and its arming of armed groups, as well as allowing traffic to flow through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf.

However, the proposal “is being treated” as a base for further negotiations between the nations, added the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the yet-publicised details of the proposal.

He said Iranian officials remain “very sceptical” of the Trump administration.

The official likened the 15-point plan to Gaza ceasefire's 20-point plan, meaning it requires “immense efforts to hamper the details if there is an agreement from both sides to sit down and negotiate.”

Mediators were pushing for a possible in-person negotiation between the Iranians and the Americans, perhaps as soon as Friday in Pakistan, according to the Egyptian official and the two Pakistani officials who shared that the proposal had been submitted to Iran.

However, that would require the Americans to immediately start travelling from the US to reach there in time.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials likely remain worried about the Israelis, whose airstrikes in the war have killed officials up to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Israel warns against gatherings for Jewish holidays

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Israelis and Jews against celebrating Passover or other upcoming Jewish and Israeli holidays in public, open spaces without security.

The country's National Security Council also warned against participating in Jewish events or frequenting Jewish sites in countries that border Iran, including Azerbijian, Turkey and the Gulf countries.

The warning is similar to others issued in recent years, especially since the 7 October 2023, attack.

Missiles target Israel's central and southern cities

Israelis were woken three times early Wednesday by sirens warning of incoming missiles.

The Iranian attacks triggered alerts in parts of central Israel, the southernmost city of Eilat and the southern city of Dimona, near a facility key to Israel's long-suspected atomic weapons programme.

There were no reported injuries or damage, with the missiles likely intercepted or falling in open areas.

In the north, the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah launched dozens of rockets toward Israeli communities in multiple overnight volleys with no known injuries, the Israeli military said.

On Tuesday, a woman was killed by shrapnel while driving on a northern Israel road. She is the war's first Israeli death caused by fire from Lebanon.

Thai ship passes through Strait of Hormuz

Thailand Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said a Thai ship passed through the Strait of Hormuz following discussions with Iranian authorities.

He said Tuesday that Thailand requested passage through the strait for the ship from energy conglomerate Bangchak Corporation and a second ship from major petrochemical company SCG Chemicals.

Thailand was informed Monday that the Bangchak ship had successfully navigated the strait and is en route, he said, while the second vessel awaits safe passage.

Bangchak's website says the ship is a crude oil tanker expected to arrive in Thailand in early April.