Iran has submitted a list of formal conditions to Washington through the mediator Qatar, seeking to resume negotiations. Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of the country’s Supreme National Security Council, stated that Tehran is now awaiting a final response from US President Donald Trump. He confirmed this information during a special interview on Saturday. Rezaei clarified that their primary conditions for ending hostilities include an immediate ceasefire on all fronts, the release of all frozen Iranian funds, and the complete lifting of the naval blockade imposed on the country. He emphasized that it is in Washington’s best interest to accept these conditions, as Donald Trump’s threats will prove ineffective and Tehran is fully prepared for any all-out war. Following the expiration of a bilateral memorandum of understanding last month, Qatar and Pakistan have been making diplomatic efforts to bring both sides back to the negotiating table.
Expressing concern over the possibility of a new US attack, Rezaei stated that Iran’s military strategy is now focused on the US naval fleets and warships deployed in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Sea. He also claimed that they recently successfully tested an anti-ship missile equipped with multiple warheads in close proximity to a US warship. Furthermore, he warned that in the event of any future US attack, American military bases and commercial entities across the Middle East would be targeted.
Analysts have noted that Tehran has omitted the previously demanded issue of compensation from its ceasefire conditions. However, regarding the nuclear program, the security chief stated that while an attack could create grounds for withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Tehran has not yet made such a decision. They continue to adhere to the religious decree issued by former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei prohibiting nuclear weapons, though future US sanctions could compel them to alter their stance. On the other hand, denying allegations of involvement in the Yemen war, Rezaei stated that the matter regarding the Bab al-Mandab Strait is entirely a decision made by the Houthis themselves, and that an agreement with Oman concerning the Strait of Hormuz is ready, awaiting regional support.
