TEHRAN — Iran has formally submitted a 10-point plan to end the war with the United States, according to a report by IRNA, a move that would ultimately reveal whether President Donald Trump is seeking a genuine diplomatic settlement or is committed to an aimless bombing campaign that analysts warn could push the global economy toward a deep depression.

The proposal, delivered via Pakistani intermediaries following two weeks of high-level deliberations in Tehran, arrives amid a climate of profound distrust. Over the last nine months, Trump has twice ordered strikes on Iranian territory in the midst of active nuclear negotiations. American and Hebrew media outlets have suggested that he used the diplomatic processes as a "smokescreen" for military escalation.

The current war began on February 28, just one day after the mediator, Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, travelled to Washington to coordinate a new round of talks. Following a meeting with Vice President JD Vance, al-Busaidi had told U.S. media he believed a "historic deal" was within reach, noting that Iran had agreed to surrender its entire stockpile of highly enriched uranium. 

"This means Iran would never be able to make nuclear weapons," Mr. al-Busaidi said at the time. Over the past month, the Trump administration has consistently maintained that the war was launched to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.

Now in its sixth week, Washington appears to have started the ongoing war based on a series of miscalculations regarding the resilience of the Iranian government and people. 

The Trump administration allegedly believed that the assassination of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei—who has since been succeeded by his son— and a vigorous bombing campaign would trigger a swift collapse of the Islamic Republic. Iran’s military capabilities were also underestimated, according to reports by U.S. media. Iranian forces have launched sustained strikes against American military installations across seven countries in the region, while also targeting Israel and severely restricting navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. 

The toll on the American regional footprint has been significant. Reports indicate that as much as 70 percent of the U.S. base infrastructure in West Asia—much of it built over the course of four decades—now lies in ruins. These strikes have also resulted in numerous American fatalities, many of which the Trump administration is believed to be withholding from the public.

Beyond the battlefield, the economic fallout is being felt acutely in the West. Tehran’s restrictive policies in the Strait of Hormuz, where over 20% of the world’s energy used to pass through, have sent the prices of energy and fertilizer soaring. In the United States, the resulting spike in gasoline and grocery costs has created a political liability for Trump and the Republican Party as they head into a difficult midterm election cycle. Various polls show most Americans believe striking Iran was the wrong decision. 

The Iranian proposal now puts the ball in Washington's court, forcing the administration to decide whether to pursue the "historic deal" previously described by mediators or continue a war with increasingly global consequences.

The Iranian peace offer also follows a series of unprecedently unhinged threats from the White House. On Sunday, Trump said in a social media post filled with profanities that he would "blow everything up" and target Iran’s vital infrastructure—including bridges and power plants—if the country does not sign a new deal with the United States. The U.S. and Israel have mostly targeted civilian infrastructure and residential buildings since the war began. Tehran has said it would reciprocate in kind. 

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, characterized such threats as "war crimes" and dismissed a previous 15-point American proposal as a collection of "highly excessive and unusual" demands. 

"We are not ashamed to shout out the legitimate demands and rights of our nation and region," Baghaei told reporters. He noted that while Washington claims to pursue diplomatic engagement, its actions run counter to those claims. "All our attention must be focused on defending the country," he added.

According to IRNA, Tehran’s new 10-point response represents a firm rejection of the "illogical" terms set by Washington. Specifically, Iran has refused American demands to shutter its peaceful nuclear program or dismantle its defensive missile capabilities. Instead, the Iranian plan insists on a "permanent end to the war" rather than a temporary or unilateral ceasefire, which the U.S. has historically abused.

IRNA adds that the Iranian document outlines several core requirements for a resolution, including the lifting of all economic sanctions, a formal protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and a cessation of all regional aggressions by the U.S. and Israel. Tehran is also demanding compensation for the already extensive damage inflicted upon its infrastructure over the past several weeks.