On Tuesday (24\/03), US President Donald Trump stated that Iran \u201cvery\nmuch wants\u201d negotiations and that Iranian negotiators had given the US a\n\u201cvery significant gift\u201d. Trump said the \u201cgift\u201d related to oil and gas as\nwell as the Strait of Hormuz, without providing further details.<\/p>\n
However, Iran\u2019s parliamentary speaker dismissed the assumption of any\ntalks taking place.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are no negotiations being conducted with the US, and fake news\n[sic] is being used to manipulate financial and oil markets and to\nescape the quagmire that has trapped the US and Israel,\u201d Mohammad Bagher\nGhalibaf wrote on social media platform X.<\/p>\n
Clearly, messages are indeed being conveyed from the US to Iran, but\nindirectly. These messages are delivered by several intermediaries, such\nas Pakistan, which has good relations with both governments.<\/p>\n
This is certainly different from formal \u201cnegotiations\u201d, an\nexplanation that may be the reason why Iran\u2019s parliamentary speaker and\nmilitary spokesperson strongly deny that negotiations are underway.<\/p>\n
Indirect contacts do exist, as do communication channels between the\ntwo sides. However, reaching an agreement still seems far from\nreality.<\/p>\n
For example, recently, a 15-point plan from US President Donald Trump\nto end the war has emerged. The proposal includes Iran\u2019s commitment not\nto build nuclear weapons and to reopen the highly strategic Strait of\nHormuz.<\/p>\n
However, Iran immediately rejected it, according to the\ngovernment-run Iranian media Press TV.<\/p>\n
Quoting an unnamed \u201csenior political-security official\u201d, the media\noutlined five conditions from Tehran to end the conflict, including\npayment of compensation for damages.<\/p>\n
These conditions have no commonality with Trump\u2019s proposal, which was\npublicised by Israeli media Channel 12 and confirmed by US\nofficials.<\/p>\n
What is the content of the 15-point peace plan proposed by Trump?<\/p>\n
The BBC has not yet obtained access to the plan document claimed by\nPresident Trump to have been sent to Iran. There is also no official\nconfirmation regarding its contents. However, several international\nmedia outlets have begun to reveal some details.<\/p>\n
According to the Israeli news channel Channel 12, the plan includes\nthe following requirements:<\/p>\n
The proposal demands that Iran \u201ccommit to never realising nuclear\nweapons\u201d, promise to dismantle nuclear facilities, and hand over\nenriched uranium reserves to the International Atomic Energy Agency\n(IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog.<\/p>\n
According to the proposal, Iran must agree to restrictions on its\nmissile programme, both in terms of range and quantity.<\/p>\n
In addition, Iran must stop funding proxy groups in the Middle East\nregion, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in\nYemen.<\/p>\n
Iran would also be required to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to\nfunction as a \u201cfree maritime corridor\u201d.<\/p>\n
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which ships carry\none-third of the world\u2019s oil and gas supplies, has caused fuel prices to\nsoar and triggered concerns of a global economic recession.<\/p>\n
In return, the US would help develop the nuclear project in Bushehr\nto supply electricity needs for civilians.<\/p>\n
Then, according to the plan, all international sanctions against Iran\nwould be lifted.<\/p>\n
Full sanctions were reimposed in November after Iran suspended\ninspections of its nuclear facilities following bombings of several\nnuclear sites and military bases by the US and Israel.<\/p>\n
What is the White House\u2019s response?<\/p>\n
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt was ambiguous when asked\nabout the 15-point peace plan between the US and Iran. (Getty\nImages)<\/p>\n
On Wednesday (25\/03), White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt\nresponded to a reporter\u2019s question regarding the 15-point peace plan\nthat leaked to the media.<\/p>\n
Leavitt described the report as \u201cspeculative\u201d and stated that some of\nthe published information \u201cis not entirely accurate\u201d, although she\nacknowledged that the plan \u201ccontains elements of truth\u201d.<\/p>\n
However, she emphasised that she would not discuss \u201cminor\u201d details\nregarding ongoing conversations.<\/p>\n
The press secretary also refused to answer questions about the\npossibility of deploying US troops on Iranian soil. Nevertheless, she\nstated that such a step would not require formal authorisation from\nCongress.<\/p>\n
When asked how close the end of the war is, Leavitt reiterated the\nWhite House\u2019s position that the US is \u201cahead of schedule\u201d and described\nit as a very successful operation.<\/p>\n
What is Iran\u2019s counter-proposal?<\/p>\n
Initially, Iran rejected the 15-point peace plan outright.<\/p>\n
However, on Wednesday (25\/03), Iran\u2019s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi\ntold state media that \u201ca number of ideas\u201d had been conveyed to several\nsenior government officials.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf an official stance is needed regarding these ideas, that stance\nwill certainly be determined,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Araghchi said Iran \u201cdoes not intend to negotiate at this time\u201d.<\/p>\n
However, he confirmed that \u201cthe American side has begun sending\nvarious messages through various intermediaries.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Iranian government has not collapsed despite being attacked by\nthe US and Israel. (Majid Saeedi\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Previously, as reported by Press TV, Iran proposed five conditions to\nend the war.<\/p>\n
The unnamed Iranian official told Press TV that these conditions are\nan addition to the demands previously submitted by Tehran in\nnegotiations in Geneva in February, shortly before the war began.<\/p>\n
The conditions include a total cessation of \u201caggression and killings\nby the enemy\u201d. Several high-ranking Iranian officials have died since\nthe first day of the war, including<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/what-are-the-contents-of-trumps-15-point-peace-plan-why-does-iran-reject-it-1774511480", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }