Iran has officially submitted its response to the United States' proposals aimed at ending the ongoing conflict, while pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has been acting as a mediator in the negotiations, confirmed that his government has received the Iranian response. However, Sharif stated that he couldn't share specific details of the communication and didn't clarify whether the response has already been forwarded to Washington. The US has not made details of its proposals public either, but reports suggest they center on a 14-point memorandum of understanding that could lead to negotiations on Iran's nuclear ambitions.
The 14-Point Memorandum and Nuclear Negotiations
According to the US news outlet Axios, the one-page, 14-point US memo includes provisions such as a suspension on Iranian nuclear enrichment, the lifting of sanctions, and restoring free transit through the Strait of Hormuz. It cited two US officials and two other unnamed sources briefed on the issues, who stated that many of the terms laid out in the memo would be contingent on a final agreement being reached. A ceasefire meant to facilitate talks to end the war launched by the US and Israel in February has been largely observed, despite occasional exchanges of fire.
Maritime Security and the Strait of Hormuz
The Iranian Isna news agency reported that Tehran's response focuses on "ending the war and maritime security" in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has continued to block the waterway—through which around a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas usually flows—leading to a rise in world oil prices, while the US, for its part, has been enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports to exert pressure on Tehran. Military spokesman Mohammad Akraminia warned that vessels passing through the strait would face "severe consequences" if they didn't cooperate with Tehran first, asserting that Americans will never be able to turn the northern Indian Ocean into a real blockade.
International Response and Upcoming Defense Meeting
The conflict, which began with US and Israeli strikes on 28 February, has seen recent incidents including a bulk carrier being hit by an unknown projectile 23 nautical miles north-east of Doha, Qatar. Iran's Fars news agency claimed the vessel was sailing under the US flag. Also, Kuwait and the UAE reported intercepting drones in their airspace. Defense ministers from more than 40 nations will meet on Monday to discuss UK-led plans to protect shipping. John Healey and Catherine Vautrin will co-chair the meeting, while this follows Donald Trump's post on 6 May stating that if Iran didn't agree to a deal, bombing would resume at a much higher intensity.