Iran Defends Two-Day Peace Proposal With US, Demands End To Naval Blockade And Sanctions
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Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Iran has defended its proposal to restart peace negotiations with the United States within two days, insisting that Washington must lift sanctions, end its naval blockade and halt hostilities across all fronts before talks can resume.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei described the revised proposal as the "most reasonable" offer available during a weekly press conference on Monday, November 9.
His remarks came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed some of Tehran's conditions as "outrageous and ridiculous", highlighting the continuing differences between the two countries over how to end the conflict.
"Is it unreasonable that Iran demands that US illegal sanctions and its naval blockade must be lifted before negotiations start and that the war should end on all fronts?" Baghaei asked.
Iran Shortens Timeline For Peace Talks
Tehran's latest proposal reduces the proposed timeline for restarting negotiations from seven days to just two days. However, Iran has maintained that the United States must first meet several conditions before formal discussions can begin.
These include lifting economic sanctions, ending the naval blockade and halting military operations across all fronts. The revised proposal is part of efforts to revive diplomatic negotiations after previous attempts failed to produce an agreement.
Washington, however, has rejected Tehran's conditions, with Rubio questioning the demands made by the Iranian leadership.
US-Iran Disagreement Over Iraq Adds To Tensions
The diplomatic standoff has also expanded to include Iraq, with Tehran expressing concern over reported US pressure on Baghdad to close most of its borders with Iran.
Baghaei said any American pressure on Iraq should not affect the relationship between Tehran and Baghdad.
His comments followed remarks by Iraq's Foreign Minister that Washington was pushing for restrictions along the country's borders with Iran.
Iraq shares extensive economic and political ties with both countries and has remained an important route for Iran's regional trade.
Iran Dismisses US Military Task Force
Baghaei also criticised a US military task force established to restrict Iran's land-based trade, dismissing the initiative as a diversion. He linked Washington's latest actions to domestic political developments following the Republican Party's losses in the US midterm elections.
The task force is part of broader American pressure on Tehran as Washington seeks to restrict its trade and economic activities.
Will US And Iran Resume Negotiations?
Diplomatic efforts to revive negotiations are continuing, with Qatar playing a role in mediating between Washington and Tehran.
US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in Washington as efforts to find a diplomatic solution intensify.
Qatar has maintained communication with both sides and is attempting to bridge differences over the conditions for ending the conflict. However, Washington's rejection of Iran's latest proposal has raised doubts about the possibility of an immediate breakthrough.
The two-day proposal offers a shorter timeline for restarting negotiations, but the central disagreement remains unchanged: Iran wants sanctions and the naval blockade lifted before talks, while the US has rejected the conditions attached to Tehran's offer.
