Days after the U.S. made the offer in hopes of restarting talks, Iran issued a response on Sunday, focusing on ending the war, including in Lebanon. Tehran is again demanding compensation for war damage and insisting on Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state television, the BBC reported.
Iran also called on the US to end the naval blockade, guarantee no further attacks, lift sanctions and lift the ban on Iranian oil sales, Tasnim news agency reported.
Earlier, the prime minister of Pakistan, which mediates between the US and Iran, confirmed receipt of Tehran’s plan.
The US has not officially published its proposals, but according to media reports, it is a 14-point memorandum that could pave the way for talks on Iran’s nuclear program.
Trump didn’t like the answer
On Sunday, Trump wrote on his social media account Truth Social that he had read the response he said came from “the so-called representatives of Iran.” “I did not like him. COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE!” – the US president stated. He did not elaborate on the nature of the US plan or what exactly Iran’s response was.
Oil prices jumped $3 a barrel on Monday following news that the conflict remains at a stalemate, Reuters reported.
A ceasefire designed to facilitate negotiations to end the war is largely holding. That said, strikes continue to be exchanged in the region, although the number is relatively small.
Iran continues to block the Strait of Hormuz, further pushing up global oil prices. The US is intensifying its blockade of Iranian ports in an attempt to pressure Tehran into agreeing to its terms.
Trump this week expressed confidence that the war with Iran will “end quickly” and said most people understand his desire to end Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
What has been reported about the U.S. proposals
Axios reported this week that the U.S. and Iran could soon sign a memorandum of understanding under which the sides would end hostilities, unblock the Strait of Hormuz and later move to detailed talks on Iran’s nuclear program.
According to Axios, the plan fits on one page and consists of 14 points.
As the publication wrote, Washington offers Iran a commitment to stop enriching uranium. In exchange, the U.S. agrees to lift sanctions and unblock billions in frozen Iranian funds. Both sides also lift restrictions on transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian news agencies Tasnim and Fars reported that Tehran also submitted its 14-point peace proposal to Pakistan, acting as a mediator.
According to Tasnim, Iranian authorities also offered to end the conflict on all fronts and agree on the operation of the Strait of Hormuz.
At the same time, Axios journalist Barak Ravid reported that Tehran suggested that the U.S. should give the U.S. no more than one month to negotiate the fate of the Strait of Hormuz and discuss the nuclear program after the negotiations are over.
Tehran also said that the result of the deal should be the end of Israel’s war against the Lebanese group Hezbollah.
“We will never bow our heads.”
On Sunday, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian commented on the talks with the United States. He did not explicitly mention American proposals, but wrote: “We will never bow our heads to the enemy. If it comes to dialog or negotiations, it does not mean capitulation or retreat.”
Earlier, a senior member of the Iranian parliament called the U.S. plan a “wish list.”
Tehran also warned neighboring countries against complying with the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s military spokesman Mohammad Akraminya said ships passing through the strait would face “serious consequences” if they did not coordinate with Tehran in advance, Irna news agency reported.
Akraminya said the Americans “will never be able to impose a real blockade in this vast area of water in the northern Indian Ocean simply by filling it with their ships.”
About one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies passed through the Strait of Hormuz before the war. Iran used its de facto control of this waterway as a tool to pressure the United States.
Iran sent warnings to ships that attempted to pass through the strait, and in some cases attacked them.
The U.S. maintains a significant military presence in the Persian Gulf, with bases in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.
Iran has also retaliated against U.S. Arab allies in the region.
The new strikes
Meanwhile, reports continue to emerge of strikes by Iran targeting ships and countries in the region allied with the US.
On Sunday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO), which monitors international shipping routes, reported that a dry cargo ship was hit by “an unknown projectile” about 43 kilometers northeast of Doha. A small fire broke out on board, but there were no casualties. Later, the Fars news agency quoted an unnamed source as saying that the vessel “was flying the American flag and belonged to the United States”.
Kuwait also said on Sunday that drones had entered its airspace and the country’s military had “solved the problem.”
Hours later, the UAE said its air defense systems had intercepted two drones coming from the direction of Iran.
On Monday, military chiefs from more than 40 countries will discuss a British plan to ensure the safety of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The meeting will be hosted by British Defense Secretary John Healey and his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin. Coalition members are expected to present proposals on how to control maritime traffic after the cessation of hostilities.
On May 6, Trump wrote on his Truth Social network that if Iran doesn’t agree to a deal, “the bombing will begin – and unfortunately, it will be much larger and more intense than before.”
