TEHRAN, September 19: Iran has sent its conditions to mediators for restarting negotiations with the United States, a senior Iranian security official said on Saturday, as the two countries remain locked in a dangerous military confrontation.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Tehran had communicated its demands through Qatari and Pakistani mediators. Qatar had reportedly passed the conditions to Washington, and Iran was now waiting for President Donald Trump’s response, according to Mehr News Agency.
“Our terms include ending the war on all fronts, unfreezing our assets and lifting the naval blockade,” Rezaei told foreign media in an interview with Al Jazeera.
He said US calculations about Iran had been mistaken and accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of helping to provoke the conflict. Rezaei added that threats from Trump would not force Tehran to surrender.
Iran was prepared for a “decisive war”, he said, claiming that the country had studied weaknesses in the US military and was better prepared than before to face American air strikes.
Rezaei also said Iran had recently tested an anti-ship missile near a US aircraft carrier. If Iran were attacked, he warned, its response would target US bases and American interests across the region with “even greater force”.
The Iranian official said Washington’s withdrawal from an earlier agreement had forced Tehran to change its strategy towards the United States. He did not provide details about the agreement or explain how the current talks might differ from previous diplomatic efforts.
Rezaei further warned that US and Israeli actions could provide grounds for Iran to leave the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. He stressed, however, that no decision had yet been made.
Iran remained committed to a religious ruling by its late leader banning the development of weapons of mass destruction, he said, adding that the country’s nuclear doctrine had not changed. At the same time, he warned that future developments would depend on Washington’s conduct.
On the regional conflict between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, Rezaei said Iran wanted the fighting to end. He added that he believed the Yemenis also wanted an agreement with Riyadh.
