Quick Look
- Pakistan has conveyed a new peace proposal from Iran to the US, which reportedly includes terms similar to previous rejections.
- However, an Iranian official claims the US has softened its stance on releasing frozen funds and nuclear activities.
- A US official denied reports of waiving oil sanctions.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Pakistan has been mediating messages between Iran and the US regarding a peace proposal. Previous Iranian offers have been rejected by the US. Tensions persist over Iran's nuclear program and oil sanctions.
Pak sends new Iranian peace proposal to US (Image credit: ANI)
Iran Media Says US Offered Interim Waiver On Oil Curbs
Iran sent a new peace proposal to the US with terms that appeared similar to offers Washington has previously rejected, although a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday that the US had softened positions on some issues. A Pakistani source confirmed that Islamabad, which has conveyed messages between the sides in the war in West Asia since hosting the only round of peace talks last month, had shared the latest proposal with Washington. But the source 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.
The Iranian proposal, as described by the senior Iranian source, appeared similar in many respects to Iran’s previous offer, which US President Trump rejected last week as “garbage”. It would focus first on securing an end to the war, reopening the Strait of Hormuzand lifting maritime sanctions. Contentious issues around Iran’s nuclear programme and uranium enrichment would be deferred to later rounds of talks, the source said.
However, in an apparent softening of Washington’s stance, the senior Iranian source said the US had agreed to release a quarter of Iran’s frozen funds — totalling tens of billions of dollars — held in foreign banks. The Iranian source also said Washington had shown more flexibility in agreeing to let Iran continue some peaceful nuclear activity. Iran’s Tasnim news agency separately quoted an unidentified source as saying the US had agreed to waive oil sanctions on Iran while negotiations were under way. Iranian officials did not immediately comment on Tasnim’s report, which a US official, who declined to be named, said was false.
REUTERS
Open Questions
- What are the specific terms of the new Iranian peace proposal?
- What are the exact concessions the US has reportedly made?
- Will the US officially comment on the proposal or the reported concessions?
- What are the implications for the Strait of Hormuz and maritime security?
