‘Only way to end this war is...’ Iranian President reiterates key demands for truce with US

AS the conflict in West Asia drags on, Iran has reiterated that the country is still committed to maintaining peace in the region. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday told regional leaders that his country is willing to de-escalate the conflict if certain conditions are met.

“Talking to leaders of Russia and Pakistan, I reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to peace in the region,” Pezeshkian said in a post on X.

Iran seeks international guarantees

According to him, to end the war, Tehran needs international guarantees against future attacks by the US and Israel.

He also said Iran’s legitimate rights should be recognized and that the country should receive reparations.

“The only way to end this war—ignited by the Zionist regime & US—is recognizing Iran’s legitimate rights, payment of , and firm int'l guarantees against future aggression,” he said.

Operation Epic Fury

The US and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28 against Iran, after weeks of military buildup and failed diplomatic efforts led by Middle Eastern countries.

Despite killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with the opening strikes, the US and Israel have failed to force regime change in Iran, which is now led by Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the hardliner son of the late supreme leader.

Thursday is day 13 of the conflict in West Asia, with neither side showing signs of relenting as Iran maintains it is not seeking a ceasefire.

"Certainly we aren't seeking a ceasefire," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a former top commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guards, wrote in an English-language X post.

"We believe the aggressor must be punished and taught a lesson that will deter them from attacking Iran again," he added.

What Trump said about ending the war

US President Trump has so far sent out mixed messages about ending the war in Iran. Though has refused to set a timeframe for the conflict to end and he has repeatedly said it will be over "very soon".

According to Trump, the military operation is "way ahead of schedule," and there is "practically nothing left to target" in Iran.

While the US has undoubtedly inflicted irreversable damages to the Iranian military, its nuclear program, the Ayatollah regime, and the IRGC have survived.

In the opening days of the conflict, the US had listed four core objectives.

Nuclear Neutralisation: Ensuring Iran can "never obtain a nuclear weapon" by destroying its enrichment facilities and research infrastructure.

Missile Degradation: Completely "razing" Iran's ballistic missile industry and production capabilities to prevent future rebuilds.

Naval Annihilation: Destroying the Iranian Navy to ensure freedom of navigation, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz.

Proxy Containment: Dismantling Iran’s ability to arm, fund, and direct "terrorist armies" like Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas.

Out of this, the US has only achieved the destruction of Iran’s missile program and its navy.

Trump has repeatedly said that the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader of Iran is unacceptable. But Khamenei seems to have been in firm control of the country, and the US is not in any position to unseat him.

What Gulf states are doing

The world is also starting to feel the heat for the conflict in the form of a spike in crude and gas prices, due to shipping disruptions and Iranian attacks on facilities in US-allied Middle Eastern countries.

Oil- and natural gas-dependent economies in the Gulf, such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, also want the conflict to end sooner.

Over the past few days, there have been increased efforts by Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia and Oman, to reach out to Iran in an effort to convince the Islamic Republic’s leadership to stop firing missiles and drones towards them and keep the Strait of Hormuz open for shipping.