Iran says US response to peace proposal is insufficient

Iran has described the latest United States response to its proposal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz as insufficient, casting further doubt on efforts to secure a diplomatic settlement.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Washington had accepted some of Tehran’s conditions but had left other issues unresolved, according to Iranian state media.

Rezaei said the United States needed to clarify its position before negotiations could make progress. He added that Iran was no longer responding to Washington’s latest communication.

The disagreement centres on a seven-point proposal presented by Iran during the United Nations General Assembly in September. Tehran has said the plan could restore normal maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if its conditions were met.

The United States responded through Qatari intermediaries, who have been facilitating communication between the two sides as they seek to end the conflict.

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The White House had not immediately commented on Rezaei’s latest remarks.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy routes, carrying about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before the conflict began in late February with US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

Disruption to shipping through the waterway has contributed to pressure on energy markets, raising concerns about fuel prices, inflation and the wider economic consequences of a prolonged conflict.

The latest diplomatic impasse comes amid continuing security threats across the Gulf region. Rezaei warned that Iran could target regional digital infrastructure, including data centres, cables and artificial intelligence facilities, if fighting intensified again.

Iran’s navy has also warned vessels transiting the strait against switching off navigation and identification systems, saying ships doing so could be considered hostile.

Reports of attacks on commercial vessels have added to concerns about the safety of international shipping and the potential for further escalation.

The latest proposal follows an earlier memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran that collapsed shortly after it was agreed in June.

Although diplomatic contacts have continued through mediators, the two sides remain divided over the conditions and sequence required to end hostilities and restore maritime traffic.

The impasse leaves uncertainty over when shipping through the Strait of Hormuz can return to normal. A failure to reach an agreement could prolong disruption to energy supplies and deepen the economic impact of the conflict.

For now, neither side has announced a final agreement, and the status of further negotiations remains unclear.

(APNews)