Middle East Monitoring Desk Islamabad
Iran has submitted its latest text in 14 points through the Pakistani intermediary, who will present it to the Americans. The source said on Monday that the Americans had recently sent a text in response to Iran’s previous proposal, which was also presented in 14 points.
Iran’s new text is focused on the subject of “negotiations to end the war and confidence-building measures by the American side”.
Iran sent a new peace proposal to the United States with terms that appeared similar to offers Washington has previously rejected, although a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday that the U.S. had softened positions on some issues.
It would focus first on securing an end to the war, reopening the Strait of Hormuz – a major oil supply route that Iran has effectively blockaded – and lifting maritime sanctions. More contentious issues around Iran’s nuclear programme and uranium enrichment would be deferred to later rounds of talks, the source said.
A Pakistani source confirmed that Islamabad, which has conveyed messages but suggested progress had been difficult. The sides “keep changing their goalposts,” the Pakistani source said, adding: “We don’t have much time.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that Tehran’s views had been “conveyed to the American side through Pakistan” but gave no details. Washington did not immediately comment.
However, in an apparent softening of Washington’s stance, the senior Iranian source said the United States had agreed to release a quarter of Iran’s frozen funds – totaling tens of billions of dollars – held in foreign banks. Iran wants all the assets released.
The Iranian source also said Washington had showed more flexibility in allowing Iran to continue some peaceful nuclear activity under supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency separately quoted an unidentified source as saying the U.S. had accepted waiving oil sanctions on Iran while negotiations were under way. Iranian officials did not immediately comment on Tasnim’s report.
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A source close to the Iranian negotiating team explained that waiving sanctions means the temporary relinquishment of sanctions. Iran insists that the removal of all sanctions against the country must be part of the US commitments. The United States, however, has proposed a waiver of OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) sanctions until a final understanding is reached.
Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei stressed that Iran’s right to uranium enrichment is non-negotiable under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Speaking at his weekly press conference on Monday, Baqaei said Iran’s enrichment rights under the NPT are recognized and do not require validation from any other party.
Responding to remarks by US President Donald Trump about a 20-year suspension of Iran’s enrichment activities, he said Iran’s current focus is on ending the war, stressing that Tehran will not compromise on its nuclear rights and that no detailed discussions on nuclear issues have taken place.
Addressing tensions between Iran and the US and the possibility of war, Baqaei said Iran’s diplomacy is intelligent and being pursued seriously, adding that Tehran will not be influenced by contradictory behavior from opposing parties.
He stressed that Iran is fully prepared for any scenario and will defend itself with full strength against any “reckless action,” adding that the Iranian Armed Forces will have “surprises.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran will continue the path of negotiations whenever it feels that the United States is serious and prepared to reach a fair and balanced agreement.
Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi on Friday, Araqchi said this was the second time Iran had started negotiations with the US, only for Washington to launch attacks in the middle of talks and at the height of diplomacy, which he described as deeply regrettable.
He said Iran is currently in a ceasefire situation, although the truce remains very fragile, and noted that Tehran is trying to preserve it in order to create an opportunity for diplomacy and a negotiated solution.
Fundamental Differences
Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency about a text recently sent to Tehran by the US, the source said, “Iran will not give up its decisive and principled stances on the issue of ending the (recent US-Israeli) war and realizing the rights of the Iranian people”
The source added that Iran’s frozen assets must be returned to the Iranian people in a transparent and definitive manner, and promises merely on paper have no use.
“Despite some promises, there is a difference of opinion about the return of the (Iranian) frozen funds,” the source underscored.
The informed source further emphasized that Iran is very serious in its determination to take compensation from the American side for the military aggression against Iran, and added, “However, the American stance – despite talking about something called the establishment of a Development and Reconstruction Fund – are far from Iran’s demands in its amount and some other issues.”
As regards nuclear issue, the source said the Americans’ demands in the nuclear field are merely political excuses and are against the rights of the Iranian people.
Meanwhile, the Americans are still trying to link the negotiations which are about how to end the war to the nuclear issue.
“It is against logic and Iran will not agree with it. The Americans must understand that Iran will not agree to end the war in return for nuclear commitments.”
“As it has previously stated, Iran has not and does not have plan to build nuclear weapons, and such claim (about Iran’s nuclear program) is just an excuse and deception by the Americans. This issue has also been emphasized in the new text,” the source concluded.
