Iran Sends New 14-Point Ceasefire Proposal to US Via Pakistan; US Accepts Oil-Sanctions Waiver During Talks

Iran has sent a new 14-point ceasefire proposal to the US through mediator Pakistan, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported on May 18.

Tasnim said Iran revised its earlier proposal in line with months of message exchanges and submitted the 14-point negotiating framework through Pakistan in the same format as before. The response focused on ceasefire negotiations and US confidence-building steps, the report said.

Tasnim also cited a source familiar with Iran-US talks as saying Washington had accepted a plan in the new ceasefire proposal to waive Iran oil-related sanctions during the negotiations.

Iran has insisted the US must lift all sanctions, while Washington is offering a suspension of sanctions imposed by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, until a final agreement is reached.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said at a media briefing on May 18 that Tehran had responded to the latest US ceasefire proposal through Pakistan.

“As we announced yesterday, our concerns have been conveyed to the US side,” Baghaei said. “Dialogue with the US is continuing through Pakistan.”

He added that speculation related to uranium enrichment and uranium materials was unfounded. The US had made a proposal, and Iran had conveyed its position, he said.

A Pakistani source also told Reuters that Iran’s revised proposal had been shared with the US. Both sides continue to shift their goals, the source said.

Ko Jung-sam, Hankyung.com reporter jsk@hankyung.com