Hopes of a pause in the ongoing Iran war rose on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump proposed a 15-point ceasefire framework to Tehran, even as Iran rejected Washington’s claims of engagement and laid down its own conditions for ending hostilities.The US proposal, routed through intermediaries, envisages a temporary cessation of hostilities and sweeping curbs on Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes in exchange for relief from sanctions and economic incentives.According to multiple reports analysed by The Tribune, the proposal envisages an initial, time-bound halt to hostilities to create space for negotiations, alongside sweeping demands on Tehran’s strategic programmes.The framework calls for Iran to permanently renounce nuclear weapons ambitions, accept strict limits on uranium enrichment and dismantle key nuclear facilities, while also curbing its ballistic missile programme and ending support to regional groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.It further seeks guarantees for the uninterrupted flow of global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. In return, the plan offers phased relief from US and international sanctions, along with the possibility of American-backed assistance for a civilian nuclear programme under international oversight.The framework is understood to be a reworked version of earlier proposals that collapsed during previous escalations, with diplomats indicating little substantive change in core US demands.However, Tehran has responded cautiously, indicating that any ceasefire would be contingent on its own terms. Reports suggest Iran has outlined key conditions, including an immediate halt to military operations, guarantees against future US attacks and compensation for damages caused during the conflict. It has also ruled out negotiations over its missile programme, describing it as a core element of national defence.”Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and when its own conditions are met,” an Iranian government official was quoted as saying by Press TV. The official also emphasised Tehran’s resolve to continue its defence and inflict “heavy blows” on the enemy until its demands were fulfilled.The official drew parallels with two previous rounds of negotiations held in the spring and winter of 2025, characterising them as deceptive. In both instances, the official stressed, the US had no genuine intention to engage in meaningful dialogue and subsequently carried out military aggression against Iran, the report read.Another report said Tehran’s initial response had been delivered to Pakistan to be conveyed to Washington.The developments come amid a shifting US posture, with Trump stepping back from a 48-hour ultimatum to strike Iranian power infrastructure following warnings of retaliation from Tehran.Speaking at the White House, Trump said negotiations were underway. “We are in negotiations right now… the other side would like to make a deal,” he said, adding that senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, were involved in the process.In an unusual remark, Trump claimed Iran had offered a “very big” oil- and gas-related “present”, though he declined to elaborate. “They did something yesterday that was amazing… a tremendous amount of money,” he said.He also indicated that a planned US strike on a major Iranian power facility had been put on hold due to the talks. “We held off based on the fact that we are negotiating,” he said.At the same time, Trump projected US military dominance, claiming American forces were operating freely over Tehran and that much of Iran’s air defence capability had been neutralised. He further asserted that Iran had agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons, though there was no independent confirmation.Despite tentative diplomatic signals, the gap between Washington’s demands and Tehran’s conditions remains wide, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding prospects for de-escalation even as global markets react to every indication of a possible ceasefire.