Iran Reaffirms War-Ending Demands Amid New U.S. Strikes
Iran says recent U.S. air strikes will not alter its seven-point proposal to end hostilities, while diplomatic talks continue.
Tehran said the latest U.S. air strikes on the southern island of Qeshm did not damage residential areas or vital infrastructure, and reiterated that the pressure would not affect its demand for an end to the war. Deputy governor for Hormozgan Ahmad Nafisi confirmed the strikes hit Qeshm but caused no civilian damage.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the strikes as “defensive,” a characterization echoed by the Trump administration, which has not formally acknowledged the attacks. President Donald Trump previously acknowledged similar strikes targeting Iranian air defenses and radar installations.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei rejected Rubio’s comment that some of Tehran’s seven demands were “ridiculous and really not realistic,” and argued that Iran’s plan could restore security in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. The demands include lifting the U.S. blockade on Iran’s southern ports, removing sanctions, and returning to the June memorandum of understanding between the two countries, with additional stipulations on the future of the Strait of Hormuz.
Baghaei also criticized a U.S. reward of up to $20 million for information on Iran’s nuclear programme, calling it a political ploy following the Republican Party’s midterm losses. Tehran said it would not relinquish its highly enriched uranium but was open to down-blending the material.
International inspectors currently have access only to the Bushehr nuclear power plant, and Iran accused the International Atomic Energy Agency and its director Rafael Grossi of overstepping their technical mandate.
Mediation efforts have shown signs of progress, with reports that President Trump and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani will meet at the White House. However, associate professor Andreas Krieg said Washington’s main objection is Iran’s request for rewards before making concessions, and noted that reopening Hormuz within two days would alter the timetable rather than the substance of any agreement.
Both the United States and regional Arab states have expressed reservations about Iran’s proposal for long-term, Iran-approved shipping corridors in the Strait of Hormuz. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that Israel’s military mission in Iran remains unfinished and cautioned Hezbollah against joining an Iranian attack.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned ships to avoid “unauthorised” routes in the Strait, citing recent attacks on 11 tankers over ten days. IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi disputed U.S. claims that all naval mines have been cleared from the waterway.
Analysts expect Tehran to continue a strategy of “controlled escalation,” using economic pressure on Gulf states to encourage a compromise, while the United States maintains a limited coercive campaign targeting civilian infrastructure such as bridges.