Iran Submits 14-Point Peace Plan as Counterproposal to US, Trump Skeptical

Iran has submitted a new comprehensive peace plan, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Saturday, adding that "the ball is in the US court." Both countries have previously accused each other of putting forward unacceptable terms, as a ceasefire reached nearly a month ago has failed to produce an agreement. Negotiations have been further complicated by the twin Iranian and US blockades of the Strait of Hormuz and the resumption of Israel's bombing campaign in Lebanon. "The Islamic Republic of Iran has submitted its plan to Pakistan as the mediator with the aim of permanently ending the imposed war, and now the ball is in the US court to choose between a diplomatic solution or a continuation of the confrontational approach," Gharibabadi said, as quoted by Press TV. According to Iranian media, the 14-point plan is a counterproposal to a nine-point document presented earlier by the US. News agencies reported that Iran's terms include security guarantees, the withdrawal of US troops from the region, the lifting of sanctions, and an end to the war "on all fronts," including Lebanon. Iran is also reportedly seeking compensation from the US and a new framework for the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, US President Donald Trump said he would review the plan soon but added that he could not "imagine that it would be acceptable." The president previously told journalists that he was "not satisfied" with Iran's terms and threatened to "blast the hell out of them and finish them forever." The US has demanded that Iran completely abandon its nuclear program and surrender its enriched uranium stockpiles, a condition Tehran has flatly rejected, insisting that its nuclear program is for civilian use only. While the prospects for a peace deal remain uncertain, oil prices surged past $120 per barrel this week for the first time since 2022.