Iranupdated 1h ago3 min read
MapIran Rejects US Pressure After Qeshm Targeted in Overnight Strikes
“it is ‘highly unlikely’ he will need to order the US back to war with Iran”
“either accept Tehran’s latest offer to end the more than eight-month war or face military escalation”
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL · Cropped for layout
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Iran insists the war must end despite US strikes on Qeshm. Iran warns the US to accept terms within two days or face escalation.
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US strikes, Iran demands
Iran’s government said it would not let US pressure alter its demands to end the war, after Ahmad Nafisi, deputy governor for Hormozgan, confirmed that the southern island of Qeshm was targeted in overnight US strikes. Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmail Baghaei said during a news conference in Tehran that “Iran’s plan is still the most logical plan on the table,” and he described it as a route to security returning to the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. The Iranian government rejected Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s remarks that some of Iran’s seven demands were “ridiculous and really not realistic,” and it said the terms include lifting the US blockade on Iran’s southern ports and lifting sanctions on Tehran.
The mediation effort continued as talks went on, with the Al Jazeera report saying Trump and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani were expected to meet in the White House on Monday. The same Al Jazeera report said Iran’s authorities warned that international inspectors have no access to Iranian nuclear sites except the Bushehr nuclear power plant, and it said Iran accused the International Atomic Energy Agency and its director, Rafael Grossi, of stepping out of their technical mandate.
Rubio, Araghchi, and ultimatum
Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Washington’s characterisation of similar recent strikes on Qeshm as “defensive,” while the Al Jazeera report said Rubio and other officials said Iran’s demands were unacceptable. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned the US to either accept Tehran’s latest offer to end the more than eight-month war or face military escalation, writing on X, “Our 2-day proposal stands: meet the requirement, including end to war on all fronts.” Trump told CNN’s Jim Sciutto that it was “highly unlikely” he would need to order the US back to war with Iran as long as there was progress in negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The Al Jazeera report said mediators were trying to prevent large-scale US attacks on Iran, but it also said Washington appeared unwilling to accept Iran’s seven demands, including lifting sanctions and lifting the blockade on southern ports. The Al Jazeera report added that Andreas Krieg, an associate professor at King’s College London, said Washington’s biggest objection was that Iran was demanding the rewards of an agreement before providing concessions to justify one.
Nuclear pressure and regional stakes
The Al Jazeera report said Esmail Baghaei rejected the idea of trading away Iran’s highly enriched uranium, which Iran said is believed to be buried under the rubble of facilities bombed by the US and Israel last year.
The Al Jazeera report also said Baghaei described the US announcement of a reward of up to $20m for information on Iran’s nuclear programme as a ploy to “convey the sense that the Iranian nuclear issue is still a threat.” The same report said Iranian authorities continue to warn ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz to refrain from taking “unauthorised” routes or face potential attacks.
In parallel, CBS News reported that French officials accused Iran of being behind store refrigerator and freezer hacks in October, with the Paris Prosecutor’s office saying the Oct. 11 hacking attack hit “700 retail locations across France.” CBS News also said the Paris Public Prosecutor’s office opened a judicial investigation on charges including “fraudulent interference with an automated data-processing system and causing damage by means dangerous to persons,” and it described the alleged offenses as being carried out to serve a foreign power, in this case Iran.