Iran continued to launch strikes across the region on Wednesday, targeting countries it views as aligned with the United States while rejecting claims Washington had opened talks with Tehran.
Missiles were reported over Israel and in the Gulf, where an attack struck Kuwait’s international airport and sent large plumes of black smoke into the sky. Iran’s navy also said it had targeted a US aircraft carrier, though such claims have been difficult to independently verify amid ongoing hostilities.
The strikes came after US reports that Washington had conveyed a 15-point plan to Tehran aimed at ending the war. According to media accounts citing unnamed sources, the plan — reportedly transmitted via Pakistan — would include a one-month ceasefire during which negotiators would hammer out terms such as dismantling Iran’s nuclear program, curbing support for proxy groups, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. It remains unclear how much Israel supports the reported proposal.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry and military publicly dismissed the notion of negotiations. Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told India Today there were “no talks or negotiations between Iran and the United States,” citing past experiences in which Iran said it had been attacked during previous rounds of diplomacy and saying Tehran could not trust US diplomacy. The military’s Khatam Al-Anbiya spokesperson mocked US efforts, asking whether Washington had “reached the point where you are negotiating with yourselves” and insisting Iran would not come to terms “not now, not ever.”
The diplomatic dispute over whether negotiations are underway has had immediate repercussions in the region and on global markets. Oil prices fell more than 5% after reports of potential talks eased some market fears about prolonged supply disruptions caused by Iranian actions, including a partial blockage of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude dipped into the mid-$90s per barrel, down from above $100. Asian equities rose on the news. Still, energy volatility persists: the International Energy Agency said it was ready to coordinate further releases from strategic stockpiles if needed, after member countries agreed earlier this month to a record release.
The humanitarian and security toll has continued to rise. Iraq saw at least two deadly strikes on positions tied to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in two days, with one attack killing seven fighters and wounding 13, while a previous strike had killed 15. Baghdad has accused the US of involvement in some strikes and granted the PMF the “right to respond.” Pro-Iran groups have carried out attacks on US positions, and Iran has launched strikes inside Iraq as well as against Kurdish and US locations in the country’s north.
The United Nations’ High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, urged states with influence to do everything possible to end the conflict, warning it had an unprecedented capacity to draw countries across borders into wider confrontation and describing the situation as extremely dangerous and unpredictable.
The war’s cultural and civilian impacts were underscored by Iranian officials reporting that the home of the late film director Abbas Kiarostami had been hit. Tehran’s foreign ministry spokesperson framed such strikes as evidence that the campaign was aimed not only at a state but at “culture, civilization, and identity.”
Regionally, Cyprus has asked the UK to negotiate new security arrangements for Britain’s bases on the island in the aftermath of drone threats and a Shahed drone crash near the Akrotiri base. London has said the status of the bases is not up for negotiation. Meanwhile, the Philippines is seeking US waivers to import oil from countries under US sanctions to shore up supplies amid rising prices and has declared a national energy emergency.
Questions also remain about Iran’s military capacity. Despite US and Israeli claims of having severely degraded Tehran’s missile stocks, Iranian forces continue to launch ballistic missiles and drones at multiple fronts. Analysts say it is unclear how many munitions remain and how quickly Iran might rebuild arsenals given sanctions and wartime attrition.
On the diplomatic front, reports that the Trump administration has proposed a 15-point framework — and that envoys including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner floated a temporary ceasefire to enable negotiations — have not been confirmed by Tehran. Israel’s UN ambassador said Israel was not aware of direct talks between Washington and Tehran and emphasized that Israel and the US continued to target Iranian military sites.
As fighting persists, markets, governments and international institutions watch for any credible move toward ceasefire or de-escalation, even as Tehran insists there are no negotiations and continues military operations across the region.