A new tension looms on the horizon in the Middle East, as the US Department of Defense (Pentagon) announced plans to potentially resume Operation Epic Wrath against Iran, which was halted when President Donald Trump declared a ceasefire on April 8, in the coming days, in coordination with Israel.
Two officials in the region, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that the United States and Israel are conducting intensive preparations—the largest since the ceasefire went into effect—for a possible resumption of attacks against Iran as early as this week, according to The New York Times on Monday.
However, many military experts believe that bombing alone is unlikely to force Tehran to accept Washington's demands, the newspaper reported.
• Planning a Special Forces Ground Operation
Among the options being discussed is a joint US-Israeli special forces ground operation to try to seize Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which they fear could be used to manufacture a nuclear weapon. However, reliable sources have expressed doubt that such a ground operation could endanger the lives of American soldiers.
Read more:
A major contracting company in Qatar announces engineering vacancies
A leading company in Qatar announces vacancies for Mechanic and Refrigeration Technician
This comes as a well-informed Pakistani source confirmed earlier today that his country had delivered the revised Iranian proposal to the US side late Sunday night, according to Reuters. The source noted that "the two countries continue to change their conditions."
For his part, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei explained that Tehran had submitted its response to the US comments on its latest proposal.
Meanwhile, an Iranian source revealed that the Iranian text delivered to Pakistan focused on ending the war and on confidence-building measures with the US.
• Iran Claims US Sanctions Have Been Lifted
It was also claimed that the US had agreed to lift sanctions on Iranian oil, according to the Tasnim news agency.
It is worth noting that the latest Iranian proposal, which Washington rejected, stipulated the lifting of all sanctions imposed on Tehran, in addition to the release of frozen funds and assets held abroad.
The agreement also included recognition of Iran's right to enrich uranium, regardless of the issue of suspending enrichment for several years—a point on which the Iranian side appears to have shown flexibility.
Read more:
Emirates: Fire After Drone Attack on Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Al Dhafra
The Uranium Transfer Issue and the Strait of Hormuz Crisis
While Tehran refused to transfer highly enriched uranium to the United States, it insisted that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz not revert to its pre-war state, which preceded the war that erupted between Iran and the US and Israel on February 28th, and demanded compensation for the strikes that targeted its territory.
In contrast, Washington refused to pay any compensation for the damage caused by the bombing of Iranian territory and insisted on the transfer of 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium from within Iran. It also demanded the operation of only one set of Iranian nuclear facilities and refused to release more than 25% of Iran's frozen assets abroad.
• Russia Enters the Fray
For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the Bushehr nuclear power plant was not subject to any sanctions, indicating that matters related to its operation concerned only Russia and Iran.
Speaking at a press conference following talks with Equatorial Guinea's Foreign Minister Simeon Oyono Esono Angue on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, "Regarding the Bushehr plant, this facility has not been subject to any sanctions. It was exempted from the 2015 agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, so this is a matter that concerns only Russia and Iran."
He also stressed that Moscow is not trying to interfere in the negotiations between the Iranian and American sides, expressing his hope for the success of the talks, according to TASS.
Commenting on media reports about the five American conditions for Iran, including the condition of maintaining only one nuclear facility, he said, "I have read that there are communications on this matter taking place between Washington and Tehran through Pakistani intermediaries or other channels... but I cannot confirm the accuracy of this information." He added, "We have not seen any proposals, and we are not trying to interfere in this negotiation process."
The Bushehr plant, located in southern Iran, is one of the country's largest nuclear power plants. It is operated in cooperation with the Russian company Rosatom, which supplies the nuclear fuel and trains personnel. The two countries signed an agreement to build two additional reactors, Bushehr 2 and 3.
It is worth noting that Lavrov's remarks came amidst ongoing talks between the Iranian and American sides, with proposals and revised texts being exchanged through Pakistan, which has been playing a mediating role for months to bridge the gaps and reach an agreement to end the war that erupted in late February.
Read more:
A Medical Center in Qatar Announces Job Openings for Female Doctors and Nurses
RR vs LSG IPL 2026: Rishabh Pant vs Riyan Parag – Full Match Analysis & Stats