Iran Responds to the U.S. with "Four Musts"
There remains a lack of consensus between the U.S. and Iran on whether negotiations to end the conflict are currently underway.
On the 25th, U.S. President Trump stated that Iran is eager to reach an agreement to conclude nearly four weeks of hostilities. On the same day, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi responded by asserting that there are no ongoing talks with the United States, and Iran will continue its resistance. He emphasized that the very fact that the adversary is calling for negotiations constitutes an admission of failure. Meanwhile, Israel has intensified large-scale air strikes against Iran, while the U.S. has also increased troop deployments to the region. American media believe that both U.S. and Iranian officials have strong incentives to end the war through negotiation, in order to minimize losses in lives, property, and political support. However, unless both sides quickly engage in genuine dialogue, the conflict risks escalating catastrophically. If the war has already passed the stage where diplomacy can effectively contain it, the consequences would be unimaginable.
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On the evening of the 25th, President Trump said during a Republican fundraising event that negotiations with Iran are still ongoing: “They really want to make a deal—they just don’t dare say so.”
On the 26th, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Dar confirmed on the social platform X: “Indirect negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are being conducted through Pakistan.”
However, on the 25th, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi told a domestic television station that the Iranian government is not involved in any talks aimed at ending the war, nor does it have any plans to initiate such discussions. Araghchi stated that the U.S. attempts to relay messages via third parties “are neither dialogue nor negotiation.” He questioned: “Isn’t it true that they were the ones shouting for ‘unconditional surrender’ earlier? Then why are they now resorting to their highest-level officials to seek talks?”
On the 25th, White House Press Secretary Levitt stated that even though Iran has not yet accepted the U.S.-proposed “15-point plan” to end the conflict, negotiations with Iran will continue. She reiterated that the U.S. estimate for the duration of military operations against Iran remains “four to six weeks.” On the 26th, Trump issued a warning to Iran via his social media platform, Truth Social: “They had better get serious quickly—otherwise it will be too late. Once this happens, there will be no turning back, and the consequences will be disastrous!”
According to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal, Trump recently privately informed his advisors that he wants to avoid getting bogged down in a prolonged war in Iran, and plans to wrap up the conflict within the coming weeks. The report notes that Trump once told an advisor that the war in Iran disrupted his priority agenda, including advancing midterm elections and pushing Congress to pass legislation tightening voter eligibility.
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Previously, two Pakistani officials told media outlets that the U.S. had conveyed the “15-point plan” to Iran through Pakistan, which includes demands for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, destroy its high-enriched uranium stockpile, limit its ballistic missile program, and cut off support for regional proxies and militias.
On the 26th, Tasnim News Agency cited informed sources stating that Iran formally responded to the U.S.-proposed “15-point plan” on the evening of the 25th via intermediaries, and is now awaiting a reply. The sources said Iran made clear in its response: aggression and assassination attempts by the enemy must cease; tangible conditions must be established to ensure the war does not recur; the implementation and guarantee of war reparations must be clearly defined; and ceasefire must be achieved across all fronts, covering every resistance group involved in the conflict throughout the region. Furthermore, Iran asserted that its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz is natural and lawful, and cannot be altered. In addition to these conditions, Iran’s position includes all demands previously put forward during the second round of nuclear talks held in Geneva this February.
Nevertheless, the source stressed that, for Iran, what the U.S. calls “negotiations” is essentially a “third deception plan.” Whether it was the “12-day war” or the current U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict, the U.S. has consistently initiated hostilities during negotiations. This time, they are using negotiations as a cover to pave the way for new acts of aggression.
Under this context, U.S. forces continue to increase their deployment. According to informed sources, at least 1,000 soldiers from the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division will arrive in the Middle East in the coming days, and the Pentagon is also sending approximately 5,000 marines and thousands of sailors to the region.
At the same time, Israel has accelerated attacks on key Iranian targets. On the 25th, The New York Times cited sources reporting that fearing the U.S. might suddenly end the war, Israel is urgently targeting as many high-priority sites inside Iran as possible. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered the military on the 24th to do everything possible within 48 hours to dismantle Iran’s defense industry.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on the 25th that Israel had already prepared contingency plans before the war: should the U.S. decide to halt combat, Israel would immediately shift its bombing tactics to maximize wartime objectives. Under the new strategy, Israel will generally accelerate its strike pace and swiftly target certain “critical objectives.”
On the early morning of the 26th, Israeli forces launched multiple waves of attacks on Iranian infrastructure. A series of intense explosions were heard near Isfahan, located about 330 kilometers south of Tehran. According to the Associated Press, Isfahan hosts important Iranian air bases and other military facilities, and was also one of the locations hit by U.S. airstrikes last June targeting nuclear facilities.
Additionally, Israeli Defense Minister Katz announced on the 26th that Ali Reza Tangsiri, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, was killed in an Israeli air strike. As of the deadline for this report, Iran has not yet responded… (Special Correspondents Feng Yaren and Zhang Hao, Global Times, stationed in the U.S. and Israel; Special Correspondent Wen Yuan)
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1860783894866956/
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