In a matter of hours, the Pentagon ordered ground troops to Iran, and US negotiators sent the Iranian regime a new 15-point peace plan. By Wednesday, the White House was urging Iran to accept the deal while threatening to hit the country harder than ever if it didn't, stoking further confusion about Trump's intentions. "President Trump does not bluff, and he is prepared to unleash hell," Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told reporters. White House officials insist the US is dictating the course of events in Iran. But Iran's rejection of the peace plan underscored the reality that Trump can't fully control the direction of the conflict.

Source: The Star March 26, 2026 14:22 UTC