Iran has defended its proposal for peace talks to resume within two days as the most pragmatic offer, following criticism from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who described some of Iran's conditions as "outrageous and ridiculous."
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated at a weekly press conference, "Is it unreasonable that Iran demands that U.S. illegal sanctions and its naval blockade must be lifted before negotiations start and that the war should end on all fronts?" This statement directly addressed Rubio's remarks.
Iran's latest proposal aims to expedite the resumption of talks, shortening the timeline from an earlier seven-day proposal. The conditions laid out by Iran include Washington halting hostilities, lifting the blockade, and waiving sanctions.
Baghaei also commented on U.S. pressure on Iraq to close its borders with Iran, asserting that such actions should not impact bilateral relations with Baghdad. He further dismissed a U.S. military task force designed to limit Iran's land trade as a diversionary tactic following Republican losses in recent midterm elections.
