Iran denies seeking a ceasefire and claims it is prepared to fight to the end

(Tehran, Iran) Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reiterated on Sunday that compensation must be demanded from the enemy at all costs. US President Donald Trump said on the same day that the US is in negotiations with Iran, but Tehran denies seeking a ceasefire and has indicated that it is prepared to fight to the end.

Mujeitaba posted on the Telegram messaging app late on Sunday (March 15th) stating: "We will demand compensation from the enemy. If the enemy refuses, we will confiscate assets of the corresponding value. If confiscation is not possible, we will destroy assets of the same value."

Mujtaba succeeded his deceased father, Khamenei, as the supreme leader of Iran on February 28th. However, he has not appeared in public yet. Even his first television statement to the people last week was read out by a news anchor. Rumors spread that he was injured in the US-Israel attack, but Iranian officials claimed that he was safe and sound and continued to perform his duties.

Kuwaiti media Al-Jarida reported on Sunday that Mujtaba secretly left Iran last Thursday (12th) and went to Moscow for medical treatment. The report stated that the television statement made by Mujtaba was not written by him; it might have been written by Ali Rajani, the secretary of Iran's highest national security committee.

Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said on Monday (16th) that Tehran is ready to confront the United States and Israel to the end. He said: "I think they have now learned their lesson and understand what kind of country they are up against. This country will not hesitate to defend itself and is ready to fight to the end, no matter in which direction the war goes."

Alaghi emphasized that Iran does not want war, but this time, "the war must end in a way that ensures the enemy no longer launches attacks or engages in aggression."

Trump said on Sunday that the US is in negotiations with Iran. He said, "I don't think they are ready (to reach an agreement), but it's getting close."

Iran designates logistics facilities of the USS Ford as a target for attack

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran said on Monday that they attacked Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion airports in Israel, as well as the US military bases in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The Iranian armed forces warned that the facilities providing logistics and services for the US Navy's USS Ford aircraft carrier, which is currently deployed in the Red Sea, would be targeted.

A fuel tank near Dubai International Airport was hit by a drone on Monday, causing a fire that led to the airport being closed for several hours. On the same day, the main oil center of the United Arab Emirates, Fujairah, was attacked again. It is reported that oil loading operations were temporarily suspended. In Abu Dhabi, a missile hit a car, resulting in the death of a civilian.

The spokesperson of the Qatar Foreign Ministry urged Iran on Monday to stop the attacks in order to seek a diplomatic solution.

The Israeli Defense Forces announced on Monday that they had carried out large-scale air strikes on the government infrastructure in the Iranian capital Tehran, Shiraz and Tabriz. The army later said that they had destroyed a facility in Tehran that was used for developing "attack satellite capabilities".

The conflict between the US and Iraq has lasted for three weeks. The Israeli army claims that the war will continue for at least another three weeks. The director of the US National Economic Council, Hassett, said on Sunday that the Pentagon estimates that this war will last for four to six weeks. He called on the nation to endure the temporary increase in oil prices.