Iran says it has received US response to its latest offer for talks
Written by: Parisa Hafezi and Jacob Bogage
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida/DUBAI, May 3 (Reuters) – Iran said on Sunday it had received a U.S. response to its latest offer for peace talks, a day after President Donald Trump said he would likely reject Iran’s offer because “they don’t pay a big enough price.”
Iranian state media reported that Washington sent its response to Iran’s 14-article proposal through Pakistan, and that Tehran was examining this proposal. There has been no confirmation yet from Washington or Islamabad about the US response.
“We do not have nuclear negotiations at this stage,” state media quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei as saying. This is an apparent reference to Iran’s offer to postpone talks on nuclear issues until the end of the war and the enemies agree to lift opposing blockades of Gulf shipping.
On Saturday, Trump said he had not yet reviewed the full text of Iran’s peace proposal but would likely reject it.
“I will soon review the plan Iran sent us, but I cannot imagine it will be acceptable as they have not yet adequately paid for what they have done to humanity and the world over the last 47 years,” he wrote on social media.
THROAT IS STILL CLOSED
The US and Israel suspended their bombing campaign against Iran four weeks ago, and US and Iranian officials held a round of talks. But attempts to organize more meetings have so far failed.
Iran submitted its final offer on Thursday, and a senior Iranian official confirmed on Saturday that Tehran plans to end the war and resolve the dispute over shipping, leaving talks on Iran’s nuclear program for later.
Although Trump initially said Friday he was unhappy with Iran’s offer, he said Saturday he was still looking at it.
“They told me the concept of the agreement. Now they will give me the full text,” he told reporters. Asked whether he could restart attacks on Iran, Trump replied: “I don’t want to say that. I mean, I can’t say this to a reporter. If they misbehave, if they do something bad, we’ll see about it now. But there is a possibility that it could happen.”
IRAN’S PROPOSAL AND WASHINGTON’S DEMANDS
The proposal to postpone talks on nuclear issues to a later stage appears to contradict Washington’s repeated demand that Iran accept tough curbs on its nuclear program before the end of the war.
Washington wants Tehran to give up its stockpile of more than 400 kg (900 pounds) of highly enriched uranium, which the US says could be used to make bombs. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful but is willing to discuss some restrictions in exchange for lifting sanctions, as it agreed to in the 2015 deal that Trump abandoned.
Trump, who has repeatedly said he is in no rush, is under domestic pressure to break Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, which has cut off 20% of world oil and gas supplies and driven up U.S. gasoline prices. Trump’s Republican Party risks voter backlash over high prices in November’s midterm congressional elections.
Iranian media said that Tehran’s 14-point offer includes the withdrawal of US forces from nearby regions, the lifting of the blockade, the release of frozen assets, the payment of compensation, the lifting of sanctions, the end of the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, and the establishment of a new control mechanism for the strait.
Iran has blocked nearly all of its shipping from the Gulf for more than two months. Last month, the United States imposed its own blockade of ships arriving from Iranian ports.
The senior Iranian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss secret diplomacy, said he believed Tehran’s latest offer to postpone nuclear talks to a later stage was a significant change aimed at facilitating the deal.
“Under this framework, negotiations on the more complex nuclear issue have been moved to the final stage in order to create a more conducive atmosphere,” the official said. he said.
ISRAEL REQUESTED LEBANON’S EVACUATION
On Sunday, Israel ordered thousands of Lebanese to leave villages in southern Lebanon; This has led to an escalation of a war between Israel and Iran’s Hezbollah allies that runs parallel to the Iran war and could further complicate broader peace efforts.
Iran said talks with Washington could not continue unless a ceasefire was reached in Lebanon, which Israel invaded in March to attack Hezbollah after the Iran-backed Lebanese group crossed the border to support Tehran.
Lebanon and Israel agreed to a separate ceasefire last month, but clashes continued, albeit on a smaller scale. The Israeli army issued an urgent warning on Sunday to residents of 11 towns and villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate their homes and move at least 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) away to open areas.
The army stated that it was conducting operations against Hezbollah following what it described as a violation of the ceasefire, and warned that anyone close to Hezbollah fighters or facilities could be at risk.
(Writing by David Brunnstrom, William Maclean, Peter Graff; Editing by Ross Colvin, Franklin Paul, Ethan Smith, Rod Nickel and Cynthia Osterman)
