"Show of Force or Strategy?" Axios: Trump Administration Yet to Receive Official Iranian Rejection of 15-Point Peace Plan

According to Axios reporter Barak Ravid, a senior U.S. official confirmed on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, that the Trump administration has not yet received a formal diplomatic rejection from Tehran regarding its 15-point settlement proposal. This contradicts reports from Iran’s state-owned Press TV, which claimed that Tehran had already informed intermediaries of its refusal to accept what it termed "exaggerated" and "maneuvering" U.S. conditions.

The discrepancy suggests that Iran’s public defiance may be a "posture" for domestic consumption, while the actual diplomatic channel remains open to avoid a resumption of U.S. strikes on Iranian energy grids. Tehran, meanwhile, remains deeply suspicious of Washington’s motives, viewing the call for peace talks as a "ruse" to mask the ongoing deployment of thousands of U.S. troops to the region.