DUBAI, March 26 — Iran’s initial response to the United States’ proposal to end the war, which was conveyed to Pakistan, was that it is “one-sided and unfair”, a senior Iranian official told Reuters today, adding that a path forward might still be found if realism prevailed in Washington.
The official said the proposal “was reviewed in detail on Wednesday night by senior Iranian officials and the representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader”.
“In brief, the proposal suggests that Iran would relinquish its ability to defend itself in exchange for a vague plan to lift sanctions,” he said, adding that the proposal lacks the minimum requirements for success.
He said there is “still no arrangement for negotiations, and no plan for talks appears realistic at this stage”, while Turkey and Pakistan are trying to help “establish common ground between Iran and the United States and reduce differences”.
Trump urges Iran’s quick action on ceasefire plan
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump warned Iran today to “get serious” about a deal to end nearly four weeks of fighting, after its foreign minister said Tehran is reviewing the US proposal but that there are no talks on winding down the war.
Trump’s comments came as the economic and humanitarian toll of the conflict mounts, with fuel shortages spreading worldwide, sending companies and countries scrambling to contain the fallout.
“Indirect talks” between the US and Iran are taking place through messages relayed by Pakistan, with other states including Turkey and Egypt also supporting mediation efforts, Pakistan’s foreign minister said.
But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said this does not amount to negotiation.
“Messages being conveyed through our friendly countries and us responding by stating our positions or issuing the necessary warnings is not called negotiation or dialogue,” Abbas said in comments broadcast late yesterday.
“At present, our policy is to continue resistance and defend the country, and we have no intention of negotiating,” he added.
Trump said in a post on Truth Social today that Iran has been “militarily obliterated, with zero chance of a comeback”, and is “begging” for a deal.
Calling Iranian negotiators “very different and ‘strange’”, Trump added: “They better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is NO TURNING BACK, and it won’t be pretty.”
Maximalist positions
Trump has not identified who the US is negotiating with in Iran, with many high-ranking officials among the thousands of people killed across West Asia since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Iran has since launched strikes against Israeli and US bases.
Though Abbas’ comments suggest some willingness by Tehran to negotiate an end to the war if Iranian demands were met, any such talks would likely prove difficult given the positions laid out by both sides.
A 15-point US proposal to end the conflict includes demands ranging from dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme and curbing its missiles to effectively handing over control of the Strait of Hormuz, according to sources and reports.
Iran has hardened its stance since the war began, demanding guarantees against future military action, compensation for losses, and formal control of the strait, Iranian sources say. It also told intermediaries that Lebanon must be included in any ceasefire deal, regional sources said.
An Iranian embassy official in Islamabad said talks in Islamabad are still on the table and Pakistan is the preferred venue for Tehran.
A Western diplomat said the US had taken a “maximalist” position and there are doubts about whether Washington is genuinely seeking to end the war or is instead buying time to calm markets as it prepares for a potential ground operation.
Stock rally fades, oil prices resume rise
Hopes of a resolution to the conflict that had boosted global stock markets in the previous session dimmed today, with oil prices resuming their surge.
The fallout from the conflict, which has caused the worst energy shock in history, has spread far beyond the region.
With the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas, effectively closed, the impact is rippling through sectors from plastics and airlines to technology, retail and tourism.
Some governments are weighing support measures last used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Farmers are struggling to source diesel for their tractors and tens of millions more people will face acute hunger if the war continues into June, the World Food Programme estimates.
Exchanges of missiles and drones across the Gulf continued today.
