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Iran on Monday said that the United States must abandon its "one-sided approach" and accept Tehran's "legitimate demands," including ending the war, lifting blockades, halting maritime piracy, and releasing frozen Iranian assets.
Addressing a press conference, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran's proposals were aimed not only at protecting its national interests but also ensuring regional and global stability. "In our proposal, we only raised Iran's legitimate rights. Everything we proposed in the text was reasonable and generous," Baghaei said, according to Iran's state-linked Fars News Agency. "Not only for Iran's national interests but for the good and welfare of the region and the world. The American parties continue to insist on their unreasonable demands," he added. Baghaei said Tehran viewed itself as a responsible regional power and rejected accusations of coercive behaviour. "Iran has proven itself to be a responsible power in the region. We are not bullies; we are anti-bullying," he said. "Look at our performance; was it us who marched on America? Is it us who are bullying in the Western Hemisphere against Cuba and Venezuela and...? Was it us who committed this crime twice in the diplomatic process?!" he added. According to Iranian state media outlet Press TV, Baghaei also said Washington must end its pressure campaign against Tehran. "Our demands are legitimate: an end to the war, the lifting of the blockade, a halt to acts of maritime piracy, and the release of Iranian assets unjustly frozen in banks under US pressure," he said. "Ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and establishing security in the region and in Lebanon are among Iran's further demands, proposals that constitute a generous and legitimate framework for regional stability," he added. Baghaei accused Washington of continuing its "maximum pressure" policy against Iran. "Unfortunately, US continues to insist on its one-sided approach and to exert maximum pressure," he said. The Iranian spokesperson stressed that regional countries should be responsible for maintaining security in the Gulf region. "Regional security must be ensured by the countries of the region themselves," he said, warning that "any interference in matters concerning the Strait of Hormuz will only further complicate the situation." He further blamed recent instability in the Strait of Hormuz on American actions. "The Strait of Hormuz was open prior to 28 February; US aggression is the cause of disruption in this strategic waterway," he said. On Sunday (local time), US President Donald Trump came down heavily on Iran, expressing his displeasure over the response received from Tehran to end hostilities and establish peace amid the developing security situation in West Asia and the Gulf region, terming it completely unacceptable. Lambasting Tehran in a post on Truth Social, Trump said that he did not like the response received from the 'representatives'. "I have just read the response from Iran's so-called "Representatives." I don't like it -- totally unacceptable! Thank you for your attention to this matter", he said on Truth Social. This comes after Iran submitted its reaction to the American proposal for de-escalating regional hostilities through Islamabad, Iranian state media announced on Sunday. The move follows several affirmations from the Foreign Ministry spokesperson that Tehran's "views and considerations" concerning the Washington-led initiatives would be dispatched once a thorough "review and final conclusions" had been reached. Detailing the development, the state-run IRNA news agency stated, "The Islamic Republic of Iran sent today, through Pakistani mediators, its response to the latest text proposed by the United States to end the war." The state media outlet further clarified the immediate objectives of the diplomatic outreach, adding that "According to the proposed plan, at this stage, negotiations will focus on ending the war in the region." (ANI)
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