The United States has warned Iran to accept defeat or face harsher retaliation, according to statements reported on March 26, 2026. Tehran, however, rejected any proposal for negotiations and pledged to continue its counterattacks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on state television that his government has not participated in any talks to end the war and has no plans to do so.

Iran’s state-run Press TV cited a senior political and security official saying that Iran will decide when to end the war, only after its own conditions are met. The report added that Iran has set several conditions for ending the conflict. Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted that discussions between the United States and Iran are ongoing, a claim Iranian officials have denied.

The source also noted that Russia provided intelligence to Iran before the war, and regional tensions have escalated, with the Gulf Cooperation Council accusing Iran of crossing a red line by closing the Strait of Hormuz.