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.
But the source told Al Jazeera on Wednesday that Tehran described the US proposal as “extremely maximalist and unreasonable”.
“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 from Iran came hours after sources confirmed to Al Jazeera that Pakistan had shared US ceasefire demands with Iran.
Mediators are pushing for in-person talks between the Iranians and the Americans as early as Friday in Pakistan, Egyptian and Pakistani officials said on Wednesday.
According to Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid, Pakistan is in a unique position as a mediator because it has a Shia minority and relatively good ties with Iran, including cross-border trade.
It also has a defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and a Sunni majority that is closely aligned with the Gulf states, he said. The leader of Pakistan’s military also has a relationship with Trump, Bin Javaid added.
“So all of this puts Pakistan in a unique position to act between these two sides. It has no US bases on its soil, so Iran cannot accuse it of being used by the United States, and it is a state that has historically tried to mend relations between these actors,” he said.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, meanwhile, said Cairo was ready to host any meetings related to Iran as long as they serve de-escalation.
Abdelatty said at a news conference that Egypt supports Trump’s initiative to negotiate with Iran.
On Iran’s response to the US plan, he said: “We have to continue our efforts. It’s all about diplomacy and negotiations.”
Turkiye has also been trying to position itself as a possible mediator. Harun Armagan, vice chairman for foreign affairs in Turkiye’s ruling AK Party, told the Reuters news agency that Ankara has been “playing a role passing messages” between Tehran and Washington.
Iranian state television’s English-language broadcaster, Press TV, quoted an anonymous official as stating Iran had rejected the US ceasefire proposal.
“Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and when its own conditions are met,” Press TV quoted the official as saying.
The official offered Iran’s own five-point plan, which consisted of a halt to killings of its officials, the means to ensure no other war is waged against it, reparations for the war, the end of hostilities and Iran’s “exercise of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz”.
Earlier, two officials from Pakistan described the 15-point US proposal broadly, saying it addressed sanctions relief, a rollback of Iran’s nuclear programme, limits on its missiles and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies are shipped.
An Egyptian official involved in the mediation efforts said the proposal also includes restrictions on Iran’s support for armed groups.
Israeli officials, who have been advocating for Trump to continue the war against Iran, were surprised by the submission of a ceasefire plan, The Associated Press news agency reported, quoting an anonymous source.
Iran remains highly suspicious of the US, which twice under the Trump administration has attacked it during high-level diplomatic talks, including the February 28 strikes that started the current war.
Iran’s rejection of the US proposal came as Israel launched air attacks on Tehran and Washington deployed paratroopers and more Marines to the region.
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Denmark’s Prime Minister Resigns After Failing To Secure Majority In General Election
DANISH Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has submitted her government’s resignation to the king after her three-party coalition suffered a large defeat in a general election, the royal palace said in a statement.
Parties are set to launch potentially tough and long negotiations on Wednesday to determine whether the next government will be formed by Frederiksen or another party leader.
Frederiksen’s Social Democratic Party had its worst election since 1903 on Tuesday, winning just 38 seats in the 179-seat parliament – down from 50 four years ago – amid voter concerns over immigration, a cost-of-living crisis and welfare.
Her left-wing bloc won 84 seats in parliament, versus 77 for the right-leaning parties, with both sides falling short of the 90 needed for a majority.
That leaves both sides dependent on the 14 seats won by the unaligned Moderates Party of Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, a centrist group that could emerge as kingmakers in coalition talks.
The Social Democrats remains Denmark’s biggest party, however, with 21.9 percent support, meaning Frederiksen could return for a third term as prime minister following coalition talks.
Domestic policy issues overshadowed the support for Frederiksen’s defiant stance towards United States President Donald Trump’s repeated ambitions to acquire Denmark’s semi-autonomous territory, Greenland.
Frederiksen warned in January that a US takeover of Greenland would amount to the end of NATO.