Iran said Monday that the next move in negotiations to end the war is up to the United States, after three consecutive days of indirect, closed-door talks led by Qatar produced no apparent breakthrough, CBS News reported.
"The ball is in the U.S. court, because our demands have been stated very clearly and transparently, and Iran's demands are reasonable and logical," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei told journalists in Tehran.
The war began with joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Baqaei said the talks, brokered by Qatar, Pakistan and other mediators, centre on a seven-day proposal Iran first presented in September. It calls for the release of frozen Iranian assets, an end to the U.S. naval blockade and a halt to fighting on all fronts. In exchange, the Strait of Hormuz would reopen in phases and further talks would follow on other topics.
President Donald Trump rejected the initial proposal, but both sides have since exchanged revisions, CBS said. On Saturday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran had proposed cutting the implementation period to two days. Under that version, the United States would take a series of measures on the first day and the strait would reopen on the second, according to a statement on the Iranian government website. Araghchi said Iran's conditions are unchanged.
On Monday, IRNA quoted Araghchi as saying the talks were "proceeding very intensively," but that "everything depends on Washington's political rationality." He said Iran would not back down from its conditions.
"If they choose honest diplomacy, we are ready to engage," IRNA quoted Araghchi as saying. "If they intend to deceive us and launch military operations, they will face a response more bitter and forceful than before."
Trump told a radio network on Sunday the war would end soon "one way or the other." He said: "Either they'll make a deal, or we'll just end it." On Saturday he said the U.S. still had to "take care of" one or two more potential targets in Iran, citing a suspected nuclear complex at Pickaxe Mountain. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei warned Saturday there would be no "geographical limitations" if fighting resumes.
Trump said he had a "very good talk" with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the war. Axios, citing sources, reported that Netanyahu is pushing for new strikes while Trump wants talks to play out.
Iran's Fars News Agency, citing the navy, said another tanker caught fire Monday after hitting a sea mine near the eastern entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian broadcaster IRIB claimed 11 tankers caught fire in the strait over nine days, offering no evidence. U.S. Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper has said the main transit routes remain "free and clear." The U.K. navy's Maritime Trade Operations centre said there were 30 attacks on commercial vessels in October, a record high.
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