Iran Rejects US Peace Proposal, Demands Concessions on Sanctions and Sovereignty
Iran has responded to a list of conditions put forward by the United States for a possible peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict that began after joint US-Israeli strikes on February 28. Iranian media outlets reported on Sunday that the US’ latest proposal failed to offer what Tehran considers meaningful concessions. Iranian officials and state-linked media also warned that the talks could reach a deadlock if the US position remains unchanged. According to Iran’s proposal, Tehran demanded an end to fighting across the Middle East, the lifting of US sanctions, the release of frozen Iranian funds, compensation for war-related damages, and recognition of Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. The dispute comes months after a conflict erupted following joint US-Israeli strikes on February 28. Active fighting has remained paused since April 28, but negotiations between both sides have continued behind closed doors. “The United States, offering no tangible concessions, wants to obtain concessions that it failed to obtain during the war,” Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported. “This will lead to an impasse in the negotiations,” the report added. According to Iran’s Fars News agency, the US presented five key conditions as part of its proposed framework for negotiations: Iranian media reports said Tehran viewed several of these conditions as unacceptable, especially the refusal to release frozen funds and the rejection of compensation demands. Tehran’s proposal also called for an end to what it described as a US naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13. Iran linked its broader regional demands to the conflict involving Hezbollah in Lebanon. The group entered the conflict after the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war, according to the Iranian position outlined in the reports. Iran also insisted that it would maintain control over the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20% of global oil supplies pass. According to Fars, Tehran has largely kept the strait closed since the conflict began. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy routes. Large volumes of global crude oil shipments pass through the narrow waterway every day. Any disruption to shipping in the region can affect global oil prices and international energy markets. Iranian officials warned that attacks on the country’s oil infrastructure could trigger major retaliation affecting oil flows across the region. “If Iranian oil is harmed, Iran will take measures that will prevent the United States and the world from accessing oil from the region for an extended period,” Iranian deputy parliament speaker Hamidreza Hajibabaei said, according to ISNA News Agency. Iranian military officials also issued direct warnings to US President Donald Trump against resuming military strikes. “The desperate American president should know that if his threats are carried out, his country’s resources and military will be confronted with unprecedented, offensive, surprising and tumultuous scenarios,” Iranian armed forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi said, according to Iranian state television. Russia, Gulf countries, and several Western governments have closely monitored developments because of fears that a wider regional conflict could disrupt global trade and energy supplies. Neither US nor the White House has officially responded to the latest Iranian media reports.
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