What to Know About Trump’s 15-Point Peace Plan After Iran’s Rejection

Iran has rejected a U.S.-backed 15-point ceasefire proposal, according to its state-run English-language broadcaster Press TV, which cited an anonymous official on Wednesday.

Iran has also put forward its own ceasefire proposal, calling for war reparations and sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

Washington's proposal had been transmitted to Tehran via Pakistan, which is on a pause in its own war with Afghanistan. The rejection raises immediate doubts about the viability of a plan that the Trump Administration has been quietly advancing to halt the fighting.

President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that the U.S. was talking to “the right people” in Iran to secure a deal and end the conflict, adding the Iranians were eager to do so. Iran’s reported rejection publicly undercuts that claim.

During a White House press briefing on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the U.S. “has been engaged over the last three days in productive conversations,” adding that “the President’s preference is always peace.” But she went on to say: “If Iran fails to accept the reality of the current moment, if they fail to understand that they have been defeated militarily and will continue to be, President Trump will ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before.” Trump, she said, “is prepared to unleash hell.”

Mohammed-Baqer Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament who has reportedly been in talks with Trump Administration representatives, said in a post on X on Wednesday that his country was “closely monitoring all US movements in the region, especially troop deployments.”

In another post later in the day, the Iranian leader wrote that “based on some data, Iran’s enemies, with the support of one of the regional countries, are preparing to occupy one of the Iranian islands.” 

“All enemy movements are under the full surveillance of our armed forces,” he warned. “If they step out of line, all the vital infrastructure of that regional country will, without restriction, become the target of relentless attacks.”

Here’s what to know.

What do we know about the peace plan?

The exact contents of the proposal have not been publicly released, but speaking to the New York Times, officials said it addresses Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs as well as touches upon maritime routes. 

Israel’s Channel 12 published 14 points reportedly from the plan, citing a Western source, but which TIME could not independently verify. 

During a White House press briefing on Wednesday, Leavitt said she had seen the media reports about a 15-point plan, but that she “would caution reporters in this room from reporting about speculative points or speculative plans from anonymous sources.”

“The White House never confirmed that full plan,” Leavitt said. “There are elements of truth to it, but some of the stories I read were not entirely factual.” Leavitt didn’t specify which parts of the reporting she was referring to. “What I will tell you is these talks are ongoing,” she continued. “We’re not going to get into the nitty gritty details that have been exchanged between the United States and Iran at this time.”

The proposal Channel 12 outlined includes dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities and requiring Iran to commit that it will never pursue nuclear weapons, stopping uranium enrichment on its territory, and transferring enriched material to the International Atomic Energy Agency under an agreed timeline.

Three of Iran’s key nuclear facilities—Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow—will be decommissioned. The proposal also reportedly seeks for Iran to abandon its “proxy” network of armed groups and to stop financing and arming them. Iran is known to be a backer of militant groups including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. The proposal also asks Iran to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz—which it has effectively shut off—remains open. It also sought to limit Iran’s missile program for self-defense use.

In turn, according to Channel 12, sanctions on Iran would be lifted; the U.S. would also assist Iran in developing its civilian nuclear program, including electricity generation at the Bushehr nuclear plant. The proposal would also remove the “snapback” mechanism, which automatically reimposes international sanctions on Iran for failing to comply with nuclear commitments.

Some of these points were also reported by the Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed officials, who said that the document seeks that Iran dismantle its three main nuclear sites and end any nuclear material enrichment. The Journal also reported that the U.S. also calls on Tehran to suspend its work on missiles, to cease support for proxies, and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, in exchange for having Iran’s nuclear-related sanctions lifted and the U.S. aiding Iran’s civilian nuclear program.

Channel 12 added, citing three unnamed sources, that the Trump Administration was proposing a one-month ceasefire during which both sides would iron out the details of the proposal, similar to what happened in Gaza last year. It is now unclear whether such an interim ceasefire remains under consideration following Iran’s reported rejection.

How have Iran and Israel reacted so far?

Iran has publicly rejected the proposal and has offered its own five conditions for ending the war, according to Press TV.

They are a halt to "aggression and assassinations" by the U.S. and Israel; the establishment of "mechanisms" to ensure the war doesn't resume; payment of war damages and reparations; and end to U.S. and Israeli attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon and pro-Iranian militias in Iraq; and "international recognition and guarantees" for Iran's authority over the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran continues to insist that no negotiations are underway, even though Qalibaf has reportedly been in talks with Trump Administration representatives. Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, denied that negotiations are being conducted between Iran and the U.S. He said that the U.S. is communicating via mediators, which “does not mean negotiations,” Al Jazeera reported.

The AP reported that an Iranian military spokesperson mocked Washington’s attempt at a ceasefire after the 15-point plan was reported. Lt. Col. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, in a recorded video statement that aired on state television Wednesday, addressed the U.S.: “Have your internal conflicts reached the point where you are negotiating with yourselves?”

“The one claiming to be a global superpower would have already gotten out of this mess if it could,” Zolfaghari said. “Don’t dress up your defeat as an agreement. Your era of empty promises has come to an end.”

Israel has made no official reaction to the proposal. According to the Associated Press, Israeli officials were reportedly surprised to hear about it, but speaking to Axios, an unnamed Israeli official said that the proposal aligns with Israel’s position.

What are the Trump Administration and U.S. lawmakers saying?

Trump and his allies have continued to portray the war as close to an end, even as Iran has reportedly rejected the U.S.-backed peace proposal and more troops are being sent to the Middle East. On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson said that “Operation Epic Fury is almost done,” adding that the mission “was very clearly defined in the beginning” and that “the objectives have been met.” During the White House press briefing on Wednesday, Leavitt said that Trump and the Department of Defense had previously estimated that the operation “would take approximately four to six weeks.”

“Twenty five days in, the greatest military the world has ever known is ahead of schedule and performing exceptionally,” she said. When a reporter asked Leavitt if the war would be over by the time of Trump’s rescheduled trip to China in mid-May, Leavitt reiterated that the Trump Administration had estimated that the operation would take four to six weeks, adding “so you could do the math on that.”

Some U.S. lawmakers, meanwhile, emerged from a classified briefing on Iran on Wednesday, criticizing the Trump Administration for not providing specifics about the military campaign and expressing their ongoing opposition to American troops being deployed on the ground.

“We want to know more about what’s going on, what the options are, and why they’re being considered,” Republican Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, who serves as the House Armed Services Committee chair, told reporters after Wednesday’s classified briefing to the panel. “And we’re just not getting enough answers on those questions.”

Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, a member of the committee, said in a post on X following the briefing: “I will not support troops on the ground in Iran, even more so after this briefing.”

Who is mediating negotiations? 

Pakistan, which has ⁠long-standing ties to Iran's Islamic Republic and has sought a better relationship with Trump, is emerging as a peacebroker.

The Times reported, citing the unnamed officials, that Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, could facilitate the dialogue between Iran and the U.S., while Egypt and Turkey are urging Iran to “engage constructively.” The officials added to the Times that Munir can convey messages between Washington and Tehran because of his believed close links to the highly influential Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Munir had also reportedly briefly talked to Trump on Sunday.

In a statement on social media, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that, “subject to concurrence by the US and Iran, Pakistan stands ready and honoured to be the host to facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing conflict.”