LIVE: Iran rejects US truce proposal, sets conditions of its own: Report

Even while publicly denying any chance of a deal, Iran has reportedly set sweeping conditions in response to US President Donald Trump’s proposal for renewed talks.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Tehran insists the bar for negotiations remains high despite indirect contacts. Its demands include shutting down US bases in the Gulf, ending sanctions, compensation for war damage, halting Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah, and collecting transit fees from ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Mediators are pushing for a possible in-person negotiation between the Iranians and the Americans, perhaps as soon as Friday, in Pakistan, the Egyptian official and the two Pakistani officials told news agency AP.

Crude oil prices declined more than 4 per cent to Rs 8,340 per barrel in futures trade on Wednesday tracking weak global trends amid reports of possible negotiations between the US and Iran to end the war.

On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), crude oil for April delivery depreciated by Rs 396, or 4.5 per cent, to Rs 8,340 per barrel. The May contract also fell by Rs 305, or 3.58 per cent, to Rs 8,209 per barrel.

Analysts said crude prices came under pressure as a bearish sentiment gripped global energy markets following shifting geopolitical developments in West Asia.

Silver prices surged Rs 12,861 to Rs 2.36 lakh per kilogram in futures trade on Wednesday tracking a weak US dollar and easing inflation fears following a correction in crude.

Ending a 10-day rout, the white metal for May delivery soared Rs 12,861, or nearly 6 per cent, to Rs 2,36,802 per kilogram on the Multi Commodity Exchange.

Analysts said the sharp rebound in silver was largely driven by a bullish sentiment in precious metals in the overseas markets and a weak US dollar.

In the international market, silver futures for the May contract increased by USD 3.87, or 5.56 per cent, to USD 73.44 per ounce.

At least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division will be sent to West Asia in the coming days, three people with knowledge of the plans told AP.

The 15-point plan now in Iranian hands is, in essence, “a comprehensive deal” to reach a ceasefire in the war, according to an Egyptian official involved in the mediation efforts.

In addition to allowing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, it also includes restrictions on Iran's missile programme and its arming of armed groups, and “is being treated” as the basis for further negotiations between the nations, according to the official who spoke to news agency AP on condition of anonymity to discuss the yet-publicised details of the proposal.

According to Israel’s Channel 12, Trump’s proposal sets out the following conditions:

• A one‑month ceasefire to enable talks
• Termination of Iran’s nuclear weapons programme
• Halting uranium enrichment inside Iran
• Guaranteeing free passage through the Strait of Hormuz
• Handing over all highly enriched uranium to the IAEA
• Dismantling key nuclear facilities at Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordo, with full IAEA access
• Ending involvement in regional proxy conflicts
• Ceasing support for allied armed groups
• Imposing limits on missile numbers and range
• Restricting missile use solely to self‑defence.

The Israeli military announced it had begun new wide-scale attacks early Wednesday on Iran targeting government infrastructure, and witnesses reported airstrikes in the northwestern city of Qazvin.

Israeli officials, who have been advocating for Trump to continue the war against Iran, were surprised by the submission of a ceasefire plan, news agency AP reported.

Missile alert sirens began early in the morning in Israel as Iran launched its own attacks, which have been a daily occurrence since Israel and the US attacked Iran on February 28 to start the war.

Iran also kept up the pressure on its Gulf Arab neighbours, with Saudi Arabia's Defence Ministry saying it had destroyed at least eight drones in the kingdom's oil-rich Eastern Province, and missile alert sirens sounding in Bahrain.

Kuwait said it shot down multiple drones but one hit a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, sparking a fire, the General Civil Aviation Authority said. Firefighters were working to contain the blaze.

According to hospital authorities, she was admitted at around 10.22 pm on Tuesday. Chairman Dr Ajay Swaroop said that her condition remains stable and a team of doctors is closely monitoring her health.

Doctors are conducting further examinations to check for a possible infection in the stomach and urinary tract, and antibiotics have been administered as part of the treatment, the hospital said. Sources had earlier said that Gandhi was unwell, possibly due to the weather change, and was admitted for observation.

They said there is no cause for concern and her condition is not serious.