Iran’s chief negotiator has warned the United States to accept Tehran’s 14-point proposal aimed at ending the ongoing Middle East conflict or face continued diplomatic failure.
The strong warning came on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump reportedly rejected Iran’s latest counteroffer and stated that the fragile ceasefire, which has been in place since April 8, was now on “life support.”
Speaking amid stalled peace negotiations, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf insisted that Washington must recognise Iran’s rights if it truly wants an end to the conflict that has lasted for more than two months.
“There is no alternative but to accept the rights of the Iranian people as laid out in the 14-point proposal. Any other approach will be completely inconclusive; nothing but one failure after another,” Ghalibaf wrote in a post on X.
He further warned that delays by the United States would come at a cost.
“The longer they drag their feet, the more American taxpayers will pay for it,” he added.
Iran has maintained a firm stance throughout the conflict, with military officials repeatedly warning that the country is prepared to retaliate against any renewed US aggression.
Tehran has also disrupted traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz shipping route, causing tension in global markets and increasing pressure on the international community. In response, the United States has reportedly enforced a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Although full details of the latest US proposal remain unclear, reports suggest it includes a one-page memorandum of understanding designed to halt hostilities and establish a framework for future negotiations surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme.
Iran’s foreign ministry stated that its response demanded an end to military operations across all fronts, including Lebanon, the lifting of the US naval blockade, and the release of Iranian assets frozen abroad under long-standing sanctions.
However, Iranian officials did not specify what concessions Tehran would make in return.
Meanwhile, tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme continue to complicate negotiations.
On Tuesday, Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for Iran’s parliamentary national security commission, disclosed that lawmakers may consider enriching uranium to weapons-grade levels if another conflict erupts.
“One of Iran’s options in the event of another attack could be 90 percent enrichment. We will examine it in parliament,” Rezaei wrote on X.
Iran currently possesses a substantial stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity, while experts estimate that about 90 percent enrichment is required for the production of a nuclear weapon.
The issue of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile remains one of the biggest obstacles in negotiations with the United States, which continues to insist that the material be transferred out of Iran.
Tehran, however, has refused to move its uranium stockpile abroad and continues to defend its right to peaceful nuclear energy development, although Iranian officials have indicated that enrichment levels may still be open to negotiation.
Elijah Adeyemi
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