The US list of demands includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz, limiting Iran's ballistic missiles, and stripping Iran of all nuclear capabilities and facilities, among other points.
US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war with Iran stipulates that the Islamic Republic dismantle its main nuclear facilities and use a reduced missile arsenal in self-defense only, according to several people familiar with the matter.
Washington has compiled a list of a dozen demands -- alongside three points Iran would get in return -- that have been delivered to Tehran by mediators in Pakistan, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter isn't public. They said some of the 15 points overlap.
The White House didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
Iran has rejected the proposal, calling the demands illogical, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Wednesday, citing sources it didn't identify. The state-owned Press TV said Iran has its own conditions for ending the war, including guarantees that war won't resume and reparations for damage caused by weeks of airstrikes.
The US list contains demands made by Washington in talks held before Israel and the US launched military action on Feb. 28. An additional factor is a call for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas. The effective shuttering of the waterway has triggered a surge in oil and gas prices and raised fears of a supply shock.
Here is a summary of the 15 points:
- The Strait of Hormuz will remain open and shall be free zone for vessels
- Iran's ballistic missiles will be limited in number and range
- Iranian missiles will be designated as for use in self-defense only
- Iran shall be stripped of all nuclear capabilities and facilities
- Iran will forswear nuclear weaponry
- There will be no uranium enrichment on Iranian soil
- Iran's stockpile of highly-enrich uranium will be handed over the International Atomic Energy Agency on an agreed schedule
- The Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites will be decommissioned and dismantled
- Iran will commit to total nuclear transparency and related independent inspections
- Iran will abandon the paradigm of supporting proxy terrorist groups
- Iran will cease funding and supporting such groups
- Iran will declare an end to the war
- Sanctions on Iran will be removed
- The US will help Iran with civilian nuclear power at the Bushehr facility
- The snap-back mechanism for sanctions will be ended
Iran communicated to mediators that it won't discuss its ballistic missile program or its support of regional militias and wants to keep control of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the people have said.
US President Donald Trump -- under pressure to tame energy prices and avoid a protracted conflict -- has said he hopes to reach an agreement by Friday. That may be difficult given the wide gaps that remain between the sides, even if talks get officially underway.