White House says Trump to hit Iran harder if Tehran does not accept defeat; Pakistan has conveyed US proposal
A view of Enghelab Square in central Tehran. Photo: AFP
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN:
Iran has rejected US President Donald Trump’s 15-point plan to end the war, according to state-run Press TV.
It cited an unknown “senior political-security official” laying out five of Tehran’s own conditions to bring the conflict to an end, including paying reparations for damage.
As the joint US-Israeli war on Iran entered its fourth week, there have been efforts by multiple countries such as Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt to mediate.
Iran is still reviewing a US proposal to end the war, despite an initial response that was negative, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday, indicating that Tehran had so far stopped short of rejecting it outright.
Pakistan delivered a proposal from the United States to Iran, and either Pakistan or Turkiye could be venues for discussions to de-escalate the war in the Gulf, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday.
The comments, by an official speaking on condition of anonymity, were among the few signs that Tehran was willing to consider diplomatic proposals, despite having denied in public that it would negotiate with the administration of US President Donald Trump.
However, later in the day, it emerged that Tehran had “responded negatively” to the US proposal and outlined five conditions under which Tehran would agree to end the ongoing conflict.
The Iranian source that spoke to Reuters did not disclose details of the proposal passed on by Pakistan, or whether it was the same as a 15-point US proposal that has been reported by news outlets. The source said “either Turkiye or Pakistan was under consideration as the venue for such talks”.
A source familiar with the matter had confirmed on Tuesday to Reuters that the plan had been sent to Iran.
In Washington, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump will hit Iran harder if Tehran fails to accept that the country has been “defeated militarily”.
“President Trump does not bluff and he is prepared to unleash hell. Iran should not miscalculate again,” Leavitt told reporters in a press briefing.
“If Iran fails to accept the reality of the current moment, if they fail to understand that they have been defeated militarily, and will continue to be, President Trump will ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before,” she said.
Talks with Iran were still under way, Leavitt said. “Talks continue. They are productive, as the president said on Monday, and they continue to be,” she added.
Citing unnamed sources, media outlets on Tuesday reported that Washington sent Tehran a 15-point plan on ending the war. Leavitt said on Wednesday that elements of the reports were not fully accurate, but she did not provide specifics.
“The White House never confirmed that full plan. There are elements of truth to it, but some of the stories I read were not entirely factual, so I am not going to negotiate on behalf of the president here at the podium,” Leavitt said.
Global equity markets regained some ground while oil prices dipped on Wednesday after the reports about the plan, with investors hoping for an end to a war that has disrupted global energy supplies and raised inflation concerns.
According to Reuters, three Israeli cabinet sources said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet had been briefed on the proposal, which they said includes removing Iran’s stocks of highly enriched uranium, halting enrichment, curbing its ballistic missile programme and ending funding for regional allies.
Separately, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan said there had been no talks between Washington or Tehran.
“We have also heard such details through the media, but according to my information – and contrary to Trump’s claims – so far no negotiations, direct or indirect, have taken place between the two countries,” said ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam, adding that it was “natural that friendly countries are always engaged in consultations with both sides to end this illegitimate aggression”.
(With additional input from News Desk)
