Diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war remain stalled after Tehran rejected demands to revise its proposals aimed at securing a lasting ceasefire.
Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said there was “no alternative” but to accept the rights of the Iranian people outlined in Tehran’s 14-point proposal.
Writing on X, Ghalibaf warned that any other approach would be “completely futile”, more than a month after a fragile ceasefire took effect.
The former Revolutionary Guards commander, now Speaker of Iran’s Parliament, also accused US negotiators of delaying the process, saying American taxpayers would continue paying a higher price while oil prices remain elevated.
Trump rejects Iranian counterproposal
The remarks appeared to respond to US President Donald Trump, who dismissed Iran’s counterproposal as “completely unacceptable”.
Details of Washington’s original proposal have not been made public. Media reports said it included a framework for ending hostilities and launching negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Tehran is reportedly demanding an immediate end to the war across the region, including Lebanon, where clashes between Israel and Hezbollah continue despite a separate ceasefire agreement.
Iran also called for the lifting of the US naval blockade around Iranian ports and the release of frozen Iranian assets abroad.
Strait of Hormuz tensions raise oil prices
President Trump has threatened to restart escort operations for commercial ships attempting to leave the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed.
According to unnamed US intelligence officials cited by the New York Times, Iran still retains significant missile capabilities despite US-Israeli strikes.
Officials reportedly estimate that Iran has kept 30 of its 33 missile launch facilities operational along the Strait of Hormuz and retains around 70% of its pre-war missile stockpile.
The continuing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz pushed oil prices even higher, with Brent crude reportedly reaching $108 per barrel overnight.
Qatar Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani warned that Iran should not use the strategic waterway “as a weapon”.
Lebanon casualties mount amid continued strikes
In Lebanon, the Health Ministry said 13 people, including a soldier and two rescue workers, were killed in Israeli air strikes on Tuesday in the south of the country.
At least five people died in Nabatieh, while four others, including a soldier and a Syrian national, were killed in Zibqine. Another four civilians, including a woman and child, died in Bint Jbeil.
Lebanese authorities say at least 380 people have been killed and more than 1,100 injured in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire announced on April 17.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem insisted that the disarmament of the group would not be discussed in negotiations with Israel.
China and Pakistan push mediation efforts
Attention has now shifted to Beijing, where President Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Washington hopes China, the largest buyer of Iranian oil, will use its influence over Tehran.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also urged Pakistan to intensify mediation efforts between the US and Iran during talks with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
China said it would continue supporting Pakistan’s diplomatic initiative and efforts to ensure safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Reports emerge of Gulf involvement
Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia secretly carried out air strikes against Iran in late March in retaliation for Iranian attacks.
The report, citing Western officials and Iranian government sources, would mark the first known Saudi military strikes against the Islamic Republic.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that the United Arab Emirates conducted strikes against Iran, suggesting the conflict has taken on a broader regional dimension.
Iran also condemned the arrest of four Iranians in Kuwait accused of belonging to the Revolutionary Guards, insisting they entered Kuwaiti waters accidentally due to navigation system problems.
Also read: Defence ministers’ summit in London on the Strait of Hormuz
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