MOSCOW, April 7. /TASS/. Iran has rejected the US proposal for a temporary ceasefire and a transition to peace talks, demanding a complete and immediate end to the conflict; the EU is preparing a plan to suspend Hungary’s voting rights in the EU Council if current Prime Minister Viktor Orban wins the country’s parliamentary elections on April 12; and the administration of US President Donald Trump plans to request $1.5 trillion in defense spending from Congress for fiscal year 2027. These stories topped Tuesday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Iran has rejected the US proposal for a temporary ceasefire and a transition to peace talks, demanding a complete and immediate end to the conflict. The deadline for US President Donald Trump’s ultimatum to Tehran is April 8, and Washington is further escalating its rhetoric. The Strait of Hormuz is an additional source of tension as Iran continues to refuse to open it. Meanwhile, Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan are mediating consultations on a potential 45-day ceasefire, which is the last chance to prevent a large-scale escalation involving strikes on Iran’s civilian infrastructure and energy facilities in the Persian Gulf.
Iranian international relations expert Hadi Issa Dalloul believes that Tehran will not make concessions in response to Trump’s ultimatum, as Iran sees no incentive for compromise. According to him, the country’s leadership, including the Supreme Leader and security agencies, considers the nuclear program and support for regional allies to be the foundation of state strategy, not subjects for negotiation. "From a pragmatic standpoint, the country has already adapted to the pressure of sanctions, gaining experience in circumventing restrictions and strengthening its position in the defense sector," the expert told Izvestia.
