Iran's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has firmly rejected proposals for de-escalation conveyed by intermediaries, insisting that there can be no peace until the United States and Israel are "brought to their knees," accept defeat, and pay compensation.
A senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that two intermediary countries had conveyed proposals to Iran's Foreign Ministry aimed at reducing tensions or establishing a ceasefire with the United States. The nature of these proposals and the identity of the intermediaries were not disclosed. However, the response from the new supreme leader was given, by declaring it was not "the right time for peace," establishing a clear and non-negotiable precondition: the U.S. and Israel must first be militarily and politically defeated and compelled to offer reparations for their aggression.
This new leadership has emerged from the crucible of war. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen by the Assembly of Experts to succeed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated in the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran on February 28. The selection of the late leader's son, a mid-ranking cleric described as "hated by the enemy" by a council member, signals the hardline continuity of the Islamic Revolution's principles.
The supreme leader's stance comes as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran enters its third week, with a mounting human toll and no resolution in sight. The conflict has already claimed at least 2,000 lives, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, and has drawn much of the Middle East into its orbit. The strategic Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for around a fifth of the world's oil, remains largely closed due to Iranian actions, causing global energy prices to spike and raising fears of inflation. In his first public message, read by a state TV broadcaster, the new supreme leader explicitly stated that the Strait of Hormuz should remain closed as a tool of pressure on "Iran's enemies," demonstrating a long-term strategic vision for leveraging the country's geographical assets.
Simultaneously, Iran continues its military campaign. Fresh missile and drone attacks have been launched against U.S. assets and allies in the Gulf, including a strike on an oil facility in Fujairah and an assault on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. These actions directly counter President Donald Trump's assertion that such retaliation was unexpected. Reports have since confirmed that Trump was, in fact, briefed before the conflict that striking Iran could trigger a broader regional war, including attacks on Gulf capitals. The president's claims of being "shocked" by the scope of the response stand in stark contrast to the intelligence assessments he was provided.
On the diplomatic front, the path to negotiations appears completely blocked. The supreme leader's rejection of peace feelers aligns with reports that the Trump administration itself has rebuffed efforts by Middle Eastern allies to initiate negotiations aimed at ending the war. President Trump has publicly demanded that other nations, including China and NATO members, send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a request that has been met with a tepid or negative response from key allies like Germany. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pointedly noted that Washington and Israel had not consulted Berlin before launching the war. As Iran's leadership vows to continue its fight until its conditions are met, and with the U.S. unwilling to compromise and its allies reluctant to be drawn in, the region braces for a prolonged and destructive conflict with no off-ramp in sight.