Iran calls US proposal to end war ‘maximalist, unreasonable’

A high-ranking diplomatic source has confirmed that Iran received a 15-point plan from the United States aimed at ending the US-Israeli war on the country.
“It is not beautiful, even on paper,” the source added, calling the plan deceptive and misleading in its presentation.

The comments come as US President Donald Trump has claimed – despite Iranian denials – that negotiations are under way between Washington and Tehran to reach an agreement to end the nearly one-month conflict.

The source explained that Iran has a clear understanding of what conditions it requires for a ceasefire and what it will reject.

The source also stated there have been no direct Iran-US talks since the war began, but messages have been exchanged through a number of mediators.

The response came hours after sources confirmed to Al Jazeera that Pakistan had shared US ceasefire demands with Iran, which has been under US-Israeli attack since February 28.

Later on Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said no negotiations are taking place between Tehran and Washington, but he noted that the US is sending messages through different mediators, which “does not mean negotiations”.

In comments shared by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, Araghchi stressed that Tehran is not seeking war and wants a permanent end to the conflict.

He also said Iran is demanding compensation for the destruction caused by weeks of US-Israeli attacks against the country.
Egypt, Pakistan pushing for talks
This week’s diplomatic push comes after Trump announced he was suspending planned strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure due to what he described as “productive” talks towards ending the war.