Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Peace negotiations between Iran and the United States appear to have hit another obstacle after Tehran made clear that it would not approve any agreement without firm guarantees and tangible results.
The warning came from Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, at a time when diplomatic efforts to end months of conflict remain stalled. His remarks followed reports that US President Donald Trump had returned a revised peace framework to Tehran containing tougher conditions.
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IRAN WANTS TANGIBLE RESULTS BEFORE DEAL
Speaking during a virtual session of parliament after taking the oath as the chamber’s re-elected speaker, Qalibaf made clear that Tehran would not move forward based on promises alone.
“There is no trust in the enemy’s words and promises. Our only criterion is to achieve tangible results before we fulfill our commitments in return,” IRIB quoted him as saying.
He later reinforced that message during a televised appearance.
“We will not approve any agreement until we are certain that the rights of the Iranian people have been upheld,” Qalibaf said.
Despite ongoing negotiations, Iran and the US are divided on several key issues, making a breakthrough difficult.
According to reports from The New York Times and Axios, the Trump administration recently sent Iran a revised framework with stricter terms. Details of the proposal have not been made public, but reports claim Washington wants stronger commitments from Tehran before any final settlement is reached.
Any further changes to the framework could delay the agreement aimed at ending the conflict that erupted earlier this year and reopening one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
TRUMP PUSHES FOR NUCLEAR GUARANTEES
Trump has repeatedly said that preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons is his top priority.
In an interview with Lara Trump on Fox News that aired Saturday, the US President expressed confidence that Tehran had accepted the principle of abandoning any nuclear weapons ambitions.
“The one guarantee that I have to have is that there will be no nuclear weapons. They’ve agreed to that, and it was very interesting,” Trump said.
However, Iran has previously challenged similar statements from Washington and has maintained that several major issues remain unresolved.
Iranian media reports indicate Tehran wants access to roughly $12 billion in frozen assets before engaging in discussions over its nuclear programme. Iranian officials have also dismissed Trump’s earlier claims about destroying Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, calling those remarks unfounded.
STRAIT OF HORMUZ REMAINS MAJOR STICKING POINT
Another major obstacle involves the future of the Strait of Hormuz through which a significant portion of global oil supplies pass.
The route became a flashpoint after Iran closed access during the conflict, disrupting energy markets. Trump recently said that, under a future agreement, Iran would impose “no tolls” on vessels using the strait.
But Iran quickly pushed back.
According to the Fars news agency, Iranian sources said “no such clause” exists in the negotiations. Iranian lawmaker Alireza Salimi told ISNA that parliament is expected to review a proposal to strengthen Iran’s authority and management over the strategic waterway.
Those competing claims have added another uncertainty to already difficult negotiations.
FIGHTING CONTINUES DESPITE CEASEFIRE
Although a ceasefire brokered through Pakistani mediation took effect on April 8, violence has not fully disappeared.
The conflict began after US and Israeli strikes targeted Iran in late February. Tehran responded with attacks against Israel and US allies in the Gulf region while restricting access to the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier this week, tensions surged again when US forces struck the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas. Iran later responded with retaliatory fire.
The US President has signalled that he prefers a negotiated settlement but has also warned that military options remain available if talks collapse.
“I’m in no hurry,” he said. “If we don’t get what we want, we’re going to end in a different way.”
– Ends
With inputs from agencies
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
