Iran has ridiculed US president Donald Trump’s proposal for peace, calling the purported 15-point plan “excessive” and a “strategic failure”.
Overnight the American leader appeared to rehash existing points that had been used as the basis for peace negotiations before US-Israeli strikes killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on 28 February sparking a regional war, and presented it as the basis for a new deal.
The proposal, first reported by the New York Times, included demands for Iran to dismantle its existing nuclear capabilities, abandon its “regional proxy paradigm” including the dismantling of said proxies, re-open the Strait of Hormuz and limit its missiles to self-defence.
Nir Barkat, Israel’s economy minister told the BBC that the plan was “beautiful on paper” but it was unlikely the Islamic Republic would agree to it.
A high-ranking Iranian diplomatic official later described the proposition as “extremely maximalist and unreasonable” in comments made to Al Jazeera on Wednesday. They also denied that media reports accurately reflected the substance of the proposal.
“It is not even beautiful on paper,” they remarked. An Iranian official confirmed to Reuters that the response to the proposal was not positive and that it was still being reviewed by Tehran.
Iran’s response is reportedly being conveyed to Washington via intermediary Pakistan, which has taken the lead in negotiations after Gulf countries found themselves embroiled in defensive efforts to rebuff Iranian attacks.
State media broadcaster Press TV later listed five key demands in exchange for a ceasefire including: a complete stop to aggression and assassinations, concrete mechanisms to ensure the war is not reimposed, war damages and reparations, cessation of fighting with all resistance groups throughout the Middle East and the recognition of Iran.
Despite oil markets briefly recovering this week following President Trump’s public displays of diplomacy, the Pentagon confirmed on Wednesday ground troops would be deployed to the Middle East after Iran’s rejection of the proposal.
Some elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, some division enablers and the 1st Brigade Combat Team will be mobilised to the beleaguered region. The military personnel are trained to parachute or helicopter into a specified area with the intention to seize it.
“I think we’re wrapping up Operation Epic Fury,” US house of representatives speaker Mike Johnson predicted in comments to reporters. “That’s what I think. And I think it’ll be done in short order and that’ll be right on schedule.”
Earlier in the week, reports had emerged that Iranian officials had been reticent to negotiate with the US amid reports that over 2,000 American troops were to be sent to the Middle East.
Iran has continued to mock the US and insisted it will fight on until “complete victory”.
“Has the level of your inner struggle reached the stage of you negotiating with yourself?” Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for the unified command of Iran’s armed forces said on Wednesday in comments broadcast by the country’s semi-official Fars news agency. “Don’t call your failure an agreement,.”
Iran said it has opened the Strait of Hormuz for “non-hostile vessels” as long as they cooperate with authorities.
Europe has been caught in the middle of the warring nations, that have been sending mixed messages to their allies and opponents alike, taking a relative backseat to hostilities and offering some defensive support in place of assertive action.
On Wednesday, Downing Street said it welcomes “any productive talks” between the US and Iran.
