Tehran, April 4 (NationPress) - The Foreign Minister of Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, stated on Saturday that Tehran is determined to establish the conditions for a "definitive and enduring" resolution to the war imposed on the nation by the US and Israel.

In a post shared on the social media platform X, he emphasized one of Iran's critical preconditions for concluding the ongoing conflict, responding to recent US media claims that Iran has opted out of ceasefire discussions with the United States in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Araghchi clarified that the narrative presented by US media misrepresents Iran's stance, asserting that Iran has not declined to participate in the negotiations. He remarked, "Our primary concern is to ensure the terms for a definitive and enduring conclusion to the illegal war that has been forced upon us."

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Iran has formally communicated to mediators its unwillingness to engage with US officials in Islamabad soon and finds the demands from the US unacceptable.

According to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency, an informed source revealed that Iran had turned down a US proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire that was relayed through a "friendly" nation the day before, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

In a related development, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) declared on Saturday that they have targeted critical infrastructure sites across Tehran. The IDF's operations were guided by intelligence, striking several defense sites, including an aerial defense facility of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that was storing missiles intended for aircraft targeting, as per their statement.

Additional targets included a military facility responsible for safeguarding weapons research and development sites, a storage facility for ballistic missiles, and various other weapons production and R&D sites. The statement noted, "These strikes are part of a continuing effort to inflict greater damage on Iran's essential systems and foundations."

This latest escalation follows the crash of two US military aircraft on Friday after they came under fire from Iranian forces. One pilot from the two-seat F-15 has been rescued, while the other remains unaccounted for, as reported by Xinhua news agency. The loss of these aircraft occurred shortly after US President Donald Trump claimed that Iranian forces "can't do anything about" US aircraft operating over Tehran.

Meanwhile, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Saturday that at least five individuals sustained injuries due to US-Israeli strikes on various petrochemical companies located in Iran's southwestern Khuzestan province. The affected companies, identified as Fajr 1 and 2, Regal, Amirkabir, Bandar Imam, and Buali Sina, were attacked at 10:47 am local time (0717 GMT) on Saturday.

Valiollah Hayati, Khuzestan's Deputy Governor for security and law enforcement, stated that the likelihood of further casualties remains high. He added that the Shalamcheh border trade terminal in Khorramshahr city also experienced severe damage due to the attacks.

The Mahshahr Special Petrochemical Zone, where these companies are situated, has been evacuated, according to reports. On February 28, Israel and the United States conducted joint strikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities, resulting in the deaths of Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military leaders and civilians. In response, Iran launched a series of missile and drone assaults targeting US and Israeli assets throughout the Middle East.