Iranian media reported on Sunday that the United States had made “no real concessions” in its latest response to Tehran’s bid to end the war. The war began with a joint US-Israeli strike on February 28 and has been suspended since April 28.“The United States wants to obtain concessions that it failed to obtain during the war without offering any actual concessions, which will lead to a deadlock in the negotiations,” the Meir news agency reported.According to Fars News Agency, Washington proposed a list of five conditions, including:
- Tehran will only keep one Nuclear power plant put into operation
- Islamic Republic to transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to the United States
- The United States will not release “even 25%” of Iran’s frozen overseas assets
- Iran will not receive any compensation for the losses it suffered during the war
- Hostilities on all fronts must cease as soon as negotiations begin
In the proposal, Iran called for an end to the war on all fronts, including Israeli military operations in Lebanon, and an end to the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports since April 13. Lebanon was plunged into conflict after the militant group Hezbollah, based in the country and backed by Tehran, joined the war after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was assassinated on the first day of hostilities.Meanwhile, Iran also demands the lifting of all U.S. sanctions and the release of its overseas assets frozen under long-standing U.S. sanctions, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said at a press conference last week.The proposal further emphasizes that Tehran will maintain control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy corridor that it has largely closed since the war began, Fars reported. About 20% of the world’s oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz.Meanwhile, Iranian Armed Forces spokesman Abolfazl Shikarchi warned US President Donald Trump not to resume attacks on the Asian country.“The desperate president of the United States should know that if his threats are carried out, his country’s resources and military will face an unprecedented, offensive, surprising and chaotic situation,” Shekach said, according to state television.Likewise, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Hamidreza Hajibabai warned against targeting Iranian oil infrastructure.ISNA news agency quoted Hajibabaei as saying: “If Iranian oil is damaged, Iran will take measures to prevent the United States and the world from obtaining oil from the region for an extended period of time.”(Using AFP input)