A second US Air Force fighter jet crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday, officials confirmed, amid reports that high-level mediation efforts to secure a ceasefire between the US, Israel, and Iran have collapsed.
An A-10 Warthog ground-attack aircraft went down near the Strait of Hormuz. The incident occurred at approximately the same time a US Air Force F-15E was shot down over Iran. Officials stated that the pilot of the A-10 was rescued.
Diplomatic Deadlock
The crash coincides with a breakdown in diplomatic efforts. Mediation attempts by Middle Eastern nations and Pakistan have reached a stalemate, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
Tehran has officially informed mediators that it has no intention of meeting with American officials in Islamabad in the coming days. The report states that Iran considers Washington’s demands “unacceptable.”
Reuters was unable to independently verify the reports regarding the diplomatic deadlock.
Rejected Proposals
Meanwhile, an anonymous source told the semi-official Iranian news agency Fars on Friday that Tehran had rejected a US proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire. The source claimed the proposal was submitted on Wednesday through an unnamed third country.
The diplomatic situation has been further complicated by Qatar’s subsequent refusal to serve as a primary mediator for a potential ceasefire deal following Iran’s withdrawal from the scheduled talks in Pakistan. The Wall Street Journal noted that this development hinders ongoing efforts to find a path forward for negotiations.