With just three days left before the deadline for a military operation that will determine whether the confrontation between the United States and Iran escalates into full-scale war, war clouds are once again gathering over the Middle East. Iran has rejected Washington’s cease-fire proposal and is pushing back hard, brandishing a "dual blockade" strategy that would link the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, while turning Kharg Island, the heart of its oil exports, into a fortress. U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Iran is desperately seeking negotiations behind the scenes. As the deadline of the 28th approaches, attention is focused on whether the two countries’ brinkmanship, with the global economy and energy supply chains at stake, can avoid a disastrous outcome. ■ Iran Rejects Cease-Fire Plan, U.S. "Ready to Unleash Hell" On the 25th local time, the Iranian government formally rejected a 15-point cease-fire proposal that the United States had conveyed through mediator Pakistan, denouncing it as an unrealistic and excessive set of demands. Instead, Tehran notified Washington of a five-point, hard-line counterproposal as a precondition for returning to the negotiating table. The demands include full payment of compensation for Iran’s losses from U.S. military actions, a guarantee that Iran can fully exercise its sovereignty in the Strait of Hormuz, and the complete lifting of economic and military sanctions targeting Iran—conditions that are effectively impossible for the United States to accept. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview with state media, "Under the current conditions, we have absolutely no intention of engaging in dialogue," adding, "The United States’ original goal of a short war has completely failed. Neighboring countries should distance themselves from a United States that is sinking." The United States also responded with immediate hard-line rhetoric. White House spokesperson Karoline Claire Leavitt warned at a briefing, "If Iran does not admit defeat and stop its reckless provocations, it will face a catastrophic outcome unprecedented in history." She further raised the stakes, declaring, "If necessary, we are fully prepared to unleash hell on Iran." Military tensions are rising further. Iran has hinted that, in addition to the Strait of Hormuz, it could move to blockade the entrance to the Red Sea, simultaneously targeting two critical chokepoints in global logistics. A military source in Iran told Tasnim News Agency, "If the enemy violates Iranian territory or inflicts damage through naval operations, we will suddenly open up another front." ■ Iran Warns It Will Strike Key Infrastructure In preparation for possible U.S. ground operations, Iran has greatly strengthened the defensive network on Kharg Island, through which about 90% of its crude oil exports pass. In recent weeks, it has densely laid minefields composed of anti-personnel and anti-tank mines along the coastline. On top of this, Iran has moved portable man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) forward to the area, preparing for assaults from multiple directions. Against this backdrop, Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned, "Our enemies are trying to seize our island," and vowed retaliation: "If they take any action, we will launch relentless and merciless attacks on all key infrastructure in the countries of that region." On the 25th, he wrote on X (social network), "Iran’s enemies, with the support of a regional country, are preparing to occupy one of Iran’s islands," issuing this warning. He is regarded as a leading political figure whom the United States sees as a potential interlocutor. ■ Trump: "Iran Desperately Wants to Negotiate" Even amid the standoff, there are efforts within the United States to explore the possibility of compromise with Iran. Donald Trump told a dinner hosted by the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) in Washington, D.C., "What we are doing against Iran in the Middle East is something no one has ever seen before," boasting, "A nuclear-armed Iran is a cancer, and we have removed it." He went on, "Iran very desperately wants to negotiate, but it cannot say so because it fears being killed by its own people," adding, "Iran is also afraid of being killed by us. For the record, they are negotiating right now." The Iranian regime and military, however, denied his claim, insisting, "We are not in negotiations with the United States." The 28th marks both one month since the armed clashes began and the end of the operational pause during which Trump has held off on further strikes, making it a critical turning point in the current Middle East crisis. Despite Iran’s official denials, regional mediators such as Pakistan, Qatar, and the Sultanate of Oman are currently facilitating indirect back-channel contacts and mediation between the two sides. km@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-min Reporter