Iran has proposed a long-term ceasefire and a new format for the nuclear deal to the US
Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath, citing insider sources, have reported details of Iran’s revised proposal, which was conveyed to the US via Pakistan.
According to the sources, Tehran has proposed a long-term, multi-stage ceasefire and a political framework for a future agreement which, in the Iranian side’s assessment, would allow them to ‘save face’.
Iran has also proposed the gradual and safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran insists on a guaranteed role for Pakistan and Oman in resolving any incidents in the strait area and seeks to separate the issue of the maritime route from disputes over the nuclear programme.
The Iranian side has agreed to a long-term freeze on its nuclear programme rather than its complete dismantlement. At the same time, Tehran insists that around 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium be transferred to Russia rather than the US.
Iran has also dropped its demands for compensation and is instead seeking economic concessions.
Meanwhile, an Iranian source told the Tasnim news agency that the US had agreed to an exemption from oil sanctions against Iran for the duration of the negotiations.
The Iranian official did not confirm whether Washington had indeed agreed to ease the oil sanctions.
A senior Iranian source also stated that the US had shown flexibility regarding the possibility of Iran continuing limited peaceful nuclear activities under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
According to him, Washington has so far agreed to unfreeze only a quarter of Iranian assets in accordance with a phased schedule. Tehran has asked the US to reconsider this position.
The source also noted that in its new proposal, Iran had focused on ending the war, opening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting maritime sanctions.
More contentious issues, notably the nuclear programme and uranium enrichment, have, according to Reuters, been decided to be deferred to later stages of the negotiations.
Meanwhile, a US official told Axios that the new Iranian proposal contained only minor improvements compared to the previous version and that this was insufficient to reach an agreement.
He also said that the document contains a commitment from Iran not to seek to develop nuclear weapons.
Earlier, a Pakistani source told Reuters that Islamabad had passed on the updated Iranian proposal to the US side late on Sunday evening.
The agency’s source noted that the parties continue to amend their terms.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei confirmed that Tehran had submitted a response to US comments on the latest proposal.
The previous Iranian proposal, which Washington rejected, called for the complete lifting of sanctions against Tehran, the unfreezing of foreign assets and recognition of Iran’s right to enrich uranium.
At the time, Iran also refused to hand over highly enriched uranium to the US and insisted that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz should not revert to its pre-war state following the outbreak of war between Iran, the US and Israel on 28 February.
