TEHRAN (Realist English). Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has stated that the United States must accept Iran’s 14‑point proposal, otherwise “American taxpayers will have to pay for it”.
Tehran’s demands include:
- an end to the war within 30 days;
- the withdrawal of US troops;
- the lifting of sanctions;
- the payment of compensation;
- a halt to military action in Lebanon;
- and a new management system for the Strait of Hormuz.
A member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security Commission, Ebrahim Rezaei, warned that in the event of further strikes, the country might consider enriching uranium to 90% – a level close to weapons‑grade.
Amid the negotiating crisis, military confrontation around the Strait of Hormuz continues. According to CBS News, shipping traffic through the strait has fallen by about 90% since the start of the US‑Israeli operation against Iran.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress that the Pentagon is ready for both de‑escalation and an expansion of the conflict. “We have a plan for escalation and a plan for de‑escalation,” the Pentagon chief stressed.
The cost of the conflict also continues to rise. Jules Hurst, acting financial controller of the Pentagon, reported that the US military operation against Iran has already cost Washington approximately $29 billion.
Ghalibaf noted that the country’s armed forces are ready to “teach a lesson to any aggressor”, while Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi accused the United States of trying to impose a “policy of coercion on Tehran under the guise of diplomacy”.
Amid the threats around the Strait of Hormuz, France and Britain have begun forming an international naval mission to protect shipping in the Persian Gulf. Australia has already declared its readiness to join the operation.
According to analysts, the current stage of negotiations has definitively shifted into a “managed crisis” mode: the parties are avoiding a complete breakdown of dialogue while simultaneously preparing for a possible resumption of large‑scale confrontation in the Middle East.
