A senior Iranian official, speaking to the media on Thursday on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Iran had submitted the proposal through Qatar. The official also said that the United States was reviewing the proposal.
Iran's top security official, Mohsen Rezaei, reiterated Tehran's conditions on Thursday. During a visit to Russia, he said Iran had placed seven conditions before the United States and would not agree to negotiations until Washington fulfilled them. He also warned that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the demands were met.
Iran's seven demands include the lifting of American sanctions, the release of Iranian assets frozen abroad and compensation for war damages. Tehran has also demanded an end to the US naval blockade and the withdrawal of American forces from the region.
These conditions have been put forward by Iran, but the United States has not accepted them so far. Washington, meanwhile, maintains that the nuclear issue must be included in any initial round of negotiations. This highlights the continuing disagreement between the two countries over the framework for restarting diplomatic talks.
Although Iran has sent its nuclear proposal through Qatar, it has linked negotiations to the fulfilment of its seven demands. The United States is currently reviewing the proposal, but it remains unclear how Washington will respond or when the next round of talks between the two countries could take place.
The possibility of renewed military confrontation has also raised concerns amid ongoing efforts to end the conflict. Several intermediary countries are continuing their attempts to facilitate an end to the war between Iran and the United States.
There are concerns that military hostilities could resume after the US midterm elections. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump did not rule out the possibility of restarting military action after the midterm elections. Iran has also warned that if the war resumes, its retaliatory response will be stronger than before.
The United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28. In response, Iran carried out attacks against Israel and Gulf countries hosting American military bases.
The conflict also spread to Lebanon, where fighting broke out between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel. Later, Yemen's Houthi rebels also joined the conflict. They targeted energy facilities, airports and other locations in Saudi Arabia.
With Iran's latest nuclear proposal being reviewed by Washington, Qatar has once again emerged as a channel for diplomatic engagement between the two sides. However, Tehran's seven conditions, Washington's insistence on including the nuclear issue in initial negotiations and the possibility of renewed military action continue to complicate efforts to reach an agreement.
About The Author
Comment List