Iran's government demanded security guarantees Tuesday as a prerequisite for any ceasefire in the escalating conflict with the United States and Israel.

Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told the Shargh newspaper that a ceasefire would be meaningless without promises that attacks on Iran would cease. "If a ceasefire is to be established or the war is to be ended, there must be a guarantee that aggressive actions against Iran will not be repeated," he said. Gharibabadi maintained that Iran did not initiate the hostilities and described its missile strikes as legitimate self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

The remarks came amid mediation attempts by China, Russia, France and regional states, all of which Iran has rejected without such conditions. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Monday there was no space for talks while U.S. and Israeli strikes continued, marking the 11th day of fighting.

The war erupted on February 28 when U.S. and Israeli forces launched Operation Epic Fury, striking Iranian missile sites, air defenses and leadership in nearly 900 attacks over 12 hours. The initial barrage killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of officials, plunging Iran into leadership turmoil. Iran retaliated with hundreds of missiles and thousands of drones targeting U.S. bases, embassies and oil facilities across the Middle East, including in the Strait of Hormuz.

Casualties have surpassed 1,000, including more than 160 people killed in a strike near a school in Minab, which the U.S. said it would investigate. Seven U.S. service members have died, with a ceremony held Tuesday for a soldier from Kentucky. Israeli strikes have also hit Iran's Assembly of Experts building, complicating succession plans.

The conflict has reignited tensions with Hezbollah in Lebanon and drawn in NATO forces after drones approached Cyprus and Turkey. Oil shipments have rerouted from the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea, spiking global prices and stranding travelers.

U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded Iran's unconditional surrender and predicted the war would end soon, while warning of harsher responses if Iran disrupts shipping further. No immediate U.S. reply came to Gharibabadi's demands. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described joint operations as progressing swiftly.

The fighting follows the 2025 Twelve-Day War, where U.S. bunker-busters damaged Iran's nuclear sites, and precedes amid Iran's internal protests that killed at least 30,000 in a crackdown last January.