Iran Submits 14-Point Proposal to End War; US Weighs Response
Priyanka Shankar
Iran has submitted a 14-point proposal to the U.S. aiming for a permanent end to the war, moving beyond the current ceasefire. President Trump is reviewing it but voiced skepticism, suggesting Iran has not paid a sufficient price. The proposal includes demands for sanctions relief, asset release, and troop withdrawal, while analysts note lingering distrust and gaps on nuclear issues.
Iran has presented a new 14-point proposal to the United States in its latest diplomatic push to secure a permanent end to the war. The initiative follows weeks of stalled negotiations between the two sides since a ceasefire took effect on April 8.
According to Iranian media, Tehran submitted the proposal via Pakistan, the mediator that helped broker the initial ceasefire in early April. The 14-point plan is a direct response to an earlier nine-point proposal from Washington.
Iran’s proposal includes commitments to preventing future attacks, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from areas around Iran, the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets, the lifting of sanctions, war reparations, an end to all hostile actions including in Lebanon, and the establishment of a new mechanism for the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, after presenting the proposal, stated: “Now the ball is in America’s court to choose the path of diplomacy or continue the confrontational approach.”
President Trump confirmed he had been briefed on the proposal but remained cautious. Speaking at a press conference in Florida on May 3, he said Washington could resume strikes if Iran “behaves badly.” On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that it was hard to imagine Iran’s proposal being accepted because Tehran has “not yet paid a high enough price.”
Paul Musgrave, an associate professor at Georgetown University in Qatar, suggested Trump’s remarks indicated he had dismissed Iran’s new proposal “without reading it or being briefed on it.” Musgrave also noted that Iran had adopted a “somewhat softer” stance this time, specifically by possibly dropping a prerequisite demand that the U.S. end its distant blockade of Iranian vessels. However, on the issues of uranium enrichment and transfer of highly enriched uranium, the two sides remain “very far apart.”
Kenneth Katzman, a fellow at the Soufan Center in New York, identified Iran’s distrust of Trump as a larger obstacle. “The problem is that Iran really doesn’t trust Trump and the U.S., and is unwilling to move into full discussions until the blockade is lifted,” he said.
On the ground, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has declared a state of “full combat readiness” and stands prepared to resume hostilities. Meanwhile, Brent crude oil traded at $111.29 per barrel, compared with around $65 before the war.
