Iran calls its proposal to the US reasonable and responsible, while rejecting Trump’s claim that the response was unacceptable.
TEHRAN: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei says Iran’s proposal delivered to the United States through Pakistan contained reasonable demands and generous proposals beneficial not only for Iran but also for the wider region and the world, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.
Baqaei made the remarks during his weekly press briefing in Tehran on Monday, a day after Iran relayed its proposal through mediator Pakistan in response to an earlier American proposal aimed at ending the war launched by the United States and Israel on February 28 that came to a halt after 40 days of intense fighting under a ceasefire.
The fragile ceasefire has largely held despite sporadic clashes in the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies pass.
Iran, a coastal state along the Strait of Hormuz, has maintained control over the waterway since the early days of the war as part of its self-defence measures, introducing regulations for ships passing through the Strait.
Several days after the ceasefire came into force on April 8, the United States imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and ships over the country’s restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz.
On Sunday evening, US President Donald Trump described Iran’s response to his country’s peace proposal as “unacceptable”.
Reacting to Trump’s remarks, the Iranian spokesperson said that Iran’s response “consisted of reasonable and responsible demands, as well as generous proposals, not only for Iran’s national interests but also for the good, stability, and security of the entire region and the world.”
Baqaei also held the United States and Israel responsible for disruptions to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, saying that Washington is acting based on “one-sided views”.
“We must bear in mind that the actions of the United States and the Zionist regime over the past 70 to 80 days have disrupted freedom of navigation, and Iranian vessels have been subjected to attacks in international waters.
“All of these issues were supposed to be discussed and resolved within the framework of this proposed package. Unfortunately, the American side continues to insist on its one-sided views and unreasonable demands, based largely on perceptions shaped by the Zionist regime,” he said.
(Bernama-IRNA)
