Iran's 'new regime' seeks ceasefire, 'will consider if Hormuz opens': Trump

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that Iran’s new leadership had sought a ceasefire, but said Washington would consider it only if the Strait of Hormuz is “open, free, and clear", warning that military action would continue until then.

Trump, in a post on TruthSocial, said: "Iran’s New Regime President, much less Radicalized and far more intelligent than his predecessors, has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE! We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!"

Iran rejects Trump's claim

A senior Iranian official has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s claim that Iran’s “new regime” had sought a ceasefire.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson described Donald Trump’s claim that Tehran had sought a ceasefire as “false and baseless,” according to a report by Reuters citing Iranian state television.

Notably, this comes after Iran has signalled openness to ending the conflict, but with conditions. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would be willing to halt hostilities with the US and Israel if it receives credible assurances that future attacks will not take place, news agency AFP reported.

During a call with European Council President António Costa, Pezeshkian said that any agreement must include firm guarantees to prevent further military action. However, Iranian ministers have denied being in "direct or indirect" contact with the US.

IRGC says Hormuz will not reopen under US pressure

Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the Strait of Hormuz will not be reopened in response to what it described as “ridiculous displays” by the US President, Al-Jazeera reported.

The IRGC, as per the report, added that it maintains firm and dominant control over the strait, asserting that access will not be granted to what it called the nation’s enemies.

This is not the first time Trump has claimed that backchannel talks with the Iranian 'leadership' are underway. In earlier remarks, he had said Iran still had “some good leaders” and suggested that negotiations were making “progress,” without identifying who was involved. However, Iran reportedly turned down a 15-point peace proposal put forward by the US.

US-Israeli strikes intensify across Iran

The conflict started by the US and Israel against Iran has now entered its second month. After several weeks of fighting, Trump has indicated that the offensive could ease within the next two to three weeks, a timeline he had also suggested in the previous month of operations.

Recent joint US-Israeli airstrikes have hit multiple strategic sites across Iran, including weapons-related facilities and research centres in Tehran. Reports also indicate that the Isfahan steel plant was targeted again this week.

The US, as per Trump’s announcement, is not targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure; however, in his latest threat, he said the US was “blasting Iran into oblivion".