Iran Sets 3 Conditions to End War with US, Israel Amid Escalation

Taking to X, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said he reaffirmed the country's commitment to peace by talking to Russia and Pakistan. He said the only way to end the war that has been "ignited by the Zionist regime & US" is- by recognising Iran's legitimate rights, secondly by payment of reparations, and third, a firm international guarantees against future aggression.

"Talking to leaders of Russia and Pakistan, I reaffirmed Iran's commitment to peace in the region. The only way to end this war--ignited by the Zionist regime and US--is recognizing Iran's legitimate rights, payment of reparations, and firm int'l guarantees against future aggression," he wrote.

US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on February 28, which resulted in the killing of its Supreme leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the country's top military commanders, and civilians. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a retaliatory operation, targeting sites in Israel.

Iran's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Amir-Saeid Iravani has estimated that the death toll among civilians strikes nears 1,350

"Since February 28, more than 1,348 civilians, including women and children, have died and more than 17,000 have been injured as a result of the ongoing military operations by the United States and the Israeli regime," the Iranian envoy said.

Meanwhile, the 15-member UN Security Council on Wednesday adopted a resolution condemning what it called "egregious" attacks by Iran on Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Jordan, while demanding an immediate halt to all hostilities by Tehran and warning against threats to close the Strait of Hormuz.

India joined more than 130 countries in co-sponsoring the Bahrain-led UNSC resolution which was passed 13-0. UN permanent members China and Russia abstained.

The resolution condemned in the "strongest terms" Iran's attacks on the territories of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, stating that such acts constitute a breach of international law and pose a serious threat to international peace and security.

Meanwhile, two tankers were attacked off the Iraqi coast in the country's territorial waters, Saad Maan, head of Iraq's Security Media Cell, said as cited by the Iraqi News Agency (INA) on Thursday.

"Thirty-eight crewmembers were evacuated. One of them died," the official said, condemning the attack as a violation of the country's sovereignty.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) announced on Thursday, the beginning of 40th wave of Operation 'True Promise-4' against US bases in the region and targets in Tel Aviv, occupied territories and Haifa, Iran's Mehr News Agency reported.

Islamic Resistance Movement fired missiles of "Ghadr", "Emad", "Kheybar Shekan" and "Fattah" deep inside the occupied territories, and also the US bases in the region in an operation codenamed "First Imam of All Believers, Imam Ali (AS)" the news outlet reported.

Attacks on oil tankers in Iran and the closure of Strait of Hormuz impacted oil supply and shot up crude prices across the globe.

In a post on X, state broadcaster Press TV shared a field documentary from the "heart of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz", which shows vessels that "remain silent--yet are targeted by the IRGC if they shift even a few meters."

The footage highlights the activities of "Basij guys from Bandar Abbas" operating speedboats known as the "Defenders of the Persian Gulf." Within the documentary, the narrator reveals the scale of the ongoing maritime aggression, mentioning that the "IRGC has claimed to hit 14 oil tankers, including two American tankers."

The NYT reported that Iran's retaliatory strikes damaged at least 17 US military and other facilities in West Asia. The outlet said it based the findings after analyzed satellite images, social media videos, statements by US officials, and Iranian state media reports.

Bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia were also attacked, with the US THAAD missile defence system radars among the costliest losses, the publication noted. In addition to US military bases, American diplomatic missions in Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia were also attacked, according to The New York Times.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump claimed that the United States had already won the war in Iran, however stating that the American troops would remain deployed until the mission was fully completed.

- ANI