Ceasefire Proposal from the United States to Iran

 Ceasefire Proposal from the United States to Iran

A ceasefire proposal has been sent to Iran. The proposal was made by the United States, according to a senior Iranian official.

On Tuesday (March 18), the official told Reuters that the proposals were delivered to Tehran through two mediating countries. However, Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has rejected the proposal. The offer included discussions on reducing tensions or establishing a ceasefire with the United States.

The official stated that in his first foreign policy meeting, Mojtaba Khamenei showed a very hardline and uncompromising stance regarding “revenge” against the United States and Israel. However, it is unclear whether he was physically present at that meeting.

Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently assumed the role of Supreme Leader. Currently, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is following all of his directives. It is also reported that they will follow his stance regarding the ceasefire. In a statement, the IRGC declared its “sincere and lifelong loyalty” to Khamenei and emphasized that they are ready to implement all his orders.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force has reportedly targeted Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Israel’s Defense Minister claimed that Larijani has been killed. The Israeli forces also claimed to have killed Basij militia chief Gholamreza Soleimani. However, Iran has not yet responded to these claims.

According to Al Jazeera, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed that Iran’s top security official Ali Larijani has been killed. However, Iran has not made any comment on the matter so far.

Early in the administration, senior Israeli officials and influential sections of the U.S. media allegedly spread misinformation that weakened the “America First” policy and helped build public support for war against Iran. According to Kent, “You (Trump) were misled through this information war into believing that Iran was an immediate threat and that a quick strike would bring swift victory. This was completely false.” He further claimed that Israel used similar tactics in the past to involve the United States in the Iraq War, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of American soldiers. Kent warned, “We must not repeat that mistake.” It is worth noting that even before his appointment in the Trump administration, Joseph Kent faced criticism over alleged links to white nationalist groups. Source: Al Jazeera.

Iranian Missile Strike Near Netanyahu’s Office

Iran has launched a large-scale attack on Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. Iranian state media Press TV claimed that the explosion occurred near the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On Tuesday, Iran’s armed forces carried out the missile attack. Images and videos circulating on social media show missiles crossing the skies over multiple regions, including the West Bank.

Reports say that several powerful explosions shook areas, especially around Al-Quds (Jerusalem). Some sources claim that explosions were heard even before warning sirens were activated, indicating possible weaknesses in the defense system.

Some Israeli media outlets reported that only one of the incoming missiles was intercepted, while the rest penetrated the defense system and hit their intended targets. However, these claims could not be independently verified.

135 Arrested in Chinese-Run Fraud Ring in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan immigration authorities have arrested 135 suspects in a crackdown on an online fraud ring believed to be operated by Chinese nationals.

An official involved in the operation told AFP that most of those arrested were Chinese men and women. Many are expected to face charges for violating tourist visa conditions and working illegally.

The official said authorities are still preparing the list of suspects and have seized computers and mobile phones used in the operation.

The raid in the north-central district of Anuradhapura is the largest since October 2024, when 230 Chinese nationals were detained for allegedly running cybercrime centers across the island.

At that time, the Chinese embassy stated that due to Beijing’s crackdown on cybercrime, some criminals may have moved operations abroad.

In 2024, Sri Lankan police arrested around 200 suspects—mostly Indian nationals—on charges of running online financial scams.

Only One Top Iranian Defense Leader Reportedly Survives

Amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Israel has claimed to have killed Iran’s top security official Ali Larijani. However, Iran has not yet responded to the claim.

If confirmed, this would mean that only one of Iran’s top defense leadership figures remains alive since the war began.

According to a BBC report on Tuesday (March 17), many of Iran’s senior figures have been killed in recent attacks, and Israel has vowed to locate those who remain.

The report states that among the top defense leadership, only Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is still alive. Earlier, on February 28—the first day of the U.S.-Israeli attacks—Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reportedly killed.

Others killed in the initial attacks include security advisor Ali Shamkhani, Defense Minister Amir Nasirzadeh, IRGC commander General Mohammad Pakpour, and Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi.

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