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FM spox: US offered ‘revised’ terms after rejecting Tehran proposal
Iran, Oman working on new Hormuz transit mechanism
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday that the United States has sent a set of "revised" points and considerations to Iran through mediator Pakistan despite publicly rejecting Tehran's 14-point peace proposal.
"After Iran sent its 14-point plan, the US side conveyed its considerations. We also presented our considerations in return. Although the American side publicly announced that this plan was rejected, we received from the Pakistani mediator a set of revised points and considerations from their point of view," Esmaeil Baqaei said during his weekly press conference.
Baqaei emphasized that Iran will certainly not negotiate or compromise on its rights, saying that the country's right to uranium enrichment has been recognized under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and does not need to be recognized by other parties.
Fars News Agency reported on Sunday that Tehran and Washington have exchanged new proposals for resumption of talks stalled over several key issues.
The news agency said that Washington had presented a five-point list which included a demand for Iran to keep only one nuclear site in operation and transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to the United States.
The US also refused to release “even 25 percent” of Iran’s frozen assets abroad or pay any reparations for the damage inflicted on Iran during the aggression which broke out on February 28 against Iran, according to Fars.
The report added that the US had conditioned the cessation of hostilities on all fronts on the start of negotiations.
In its proposal, Iran has called for an end of the war on all fronts including Israel’s campaign in Lebanon, as well as a halt to the US naval blockade on Iranian ports in place since April 13. It also called for lifting all the sanctions and the release of Iranian assets frozen abroad under longstanding US sanctions.
Fars said the Iranian proposal had emphasized that Tehran would continue to manage the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy conduit which it has largely kept closed since the start of the US-Israeli aggression against Iran.
The developments came as the US President Donald Trump on Sunday once again threatened consequences for Iran if it does not act quickly.
"For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!," he wrote in a Truth Social post.
Iran-Oman cooperation on Strait of Hormuz
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Baqaei said Iran is engaged in continuous consultations with Oman to design a new mechanism governing transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
He said the Strait of Hormuz is a “vital” maritime passage whose importance extends far beyond Iran, Oman, and the regional countries to the entire world.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always made tremendous efforts to safeguard safe and secure transit through this route and continues to insist that passage through the Strait of Hormuz must take place in the best possible manner with complete safety,” he added.
He emphasized that both Iran and Oman consider themselves duty-bound to take necessary measures to ensure secure transit through the Strait of Hormuz, as it is located within the territorial waters of the two coastal states.
Baqaei’s comments come amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor through which a significant share of the world’s energy trade passes.
Iran shut down the strait to its enemies and their allies after the unprovoked US-Israeli aggression. Iranian authorities began enforcing much stricter controls last month following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a blockade targeting Iranian vessels and ports.