Both the countries refuse ceasefire even on 22nd day

New Delhi – Even on the 22nd day of the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, neither side has shown willingness to agree to a ceasefire. Donald Trump has clearly stated that the United States is not prepared to halt operations. In response, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted that Iran would “under no circumstances accept a ceasefire.”

In an interview with Kyodo News, Araghchi emphasised that Iran is maintaining a highly cautious stance and is determined not to allow a recurrence of last year’s situation under any circumstances.

War may conclude within 4 to 6 weeks

Speaking to the media at the White House, Trump stated that a ceasefire is not pursued when an adversary is on the verge of defeat. He claimed that the United States has substantially degraded Iran’s military capabilities, adding that Iran “no longer possesses a functional navy, air force, or significant military strength.”

‘NATO is timid’ – Trump

Trump also criticised NATO, describing its member nations as timid. He remarked that without the United States, the alliance would be reduced to a mere “paper tiger.”

Iran fires missiles at US base in Indian Ocean

Iran launched two ballistic missiles at the Diego Garcia, a joint US-UK military base in the Indian Ocean; however, neither of them struck the target. The base is located approximately 3,810 kilometres from Iran’s coastline and more than 5,000 kilometres from Tehran. This incident has revealed that Iran possesses missiles capable of striking targets at distances of up to 5,000 kilometres.

Diego Garcia is a strategically important military base for the United States. It supports large tanker aircraft (used for mid-air refuelling of fighter jets) as well as surveillance aircraft operations.

Russia stands firmly with Iran in every crisis, says Putin

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, has assured Iran of continued support. Extending greetings to Iranian leaders on the occasion of Nowruz, he stated that Russia would remain a loyal friend and reliable partner of Iran. He also said that the Iranian people must remain steadfast during the current difficult situation, and that Russia would support them through this challenging period.