Iran presented this Monday —amid the advance of U.S. President Donald Trump's ultimatum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz— a plan to end the war “definitively,” but did so under conditions that, far from bringing a solution, could further escalate the tension. According to the state-run IRNA agency, the Iranian government sent the United States —through Pakistan— a 10-point plan that includes the total cessation of hostilities, guarantees for transit in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, and the lifting of economic sanctions. However, Iran rejects any temporary ceasefire and demands that the agreement be definitive, with conditions designed under its own security and regional control logic. Iranian peace plan The Iranian document outlines three main pillars: Total and immediate end of the war Rules for maritime transit in Hormuz Elimination of economic sanctions This is accompanied by a demand for guarantees that Iran will not be attacked again, which implies direct commitments from the United States and Israel; however, it reflects that Tehran does not want a pause, but rather seeks to close the conflict on its own terms. Controversial points 1. Iran rejected a ceasefire proposal to end clashes with the United States and Israel this Monday, April 6. “We will only accept the end of the war with guarantees that we will not be attacked again,” the government stated. The Iranian response, transmitted through Pakistan, came after two weeks of exhaustive analysis, according to the state-run IRNA agency. Iran rejects a truce and demands an immediate end to the war While international mediators suggest temporary pauses to open negotiations, Iran states it does not accept truces, only a definitive closure. This stance clashes directly with Washington's strategy, which seeks to control the escalation step by step. 2. This measure adds to a series of extensions since he began issuing similar ultimatums on March 21 to force Iran to reopen this strategic route. The constant postponements occur as Trump signals ongoing negotiations between his envoys and Iranian leadership —which has not been identified— with the aim of ending the war that began following attacks by the United States and Israel at the end of February. The spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmail Baghaei, acknowledged the exchange of messages with the United States, but reiterated that Tehran seeks a definitive end to the conflict, not just a pause, according to the daily Shargh. Non-aggression guarantees Iran also demands formal commitments to prevent future attacks, which would imply that the United States and Israel renounce, at least in the short term, preemptive military operations, something that goes against their current security doctrine. Is the plan viable? More than a peace offer, the Iranian proposal appears as a high-risk counteroffer, as while it opens the door to dialogue, it sets conditions that would force the United States and Israel to cede military, economic, and strategic control. Lifting of sanctions The plan demands the elimination of economic sanctions imposed on Iran, which would nullify one of the main U.S. pressure tools, and turns this demand into one of the biggest political obstacles to any agreement. 4. Hormuz under Iranian rules. The Strait of Hormuz —through which nearly 20% of the world's oil passes— is the most critical point. Iran does not propose only reopening it; it plans to regulate who can transit and under what conditions, which could exclude or limit vessels linked to the United States, Israel, or allies. For Washington, this is unacceptable, as its goal is a total and unconditional strategic reopening. 3. Israel attacked Iran's largest petrochemical facility, responsible for 50 percent of the country's petrochemical production, reported Defense Minister Israel Katz. Trump extends deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz In a post filled with insults, Trump threatened to destroy power plants in Iran and “blow everything up there” before announcing what seemed to be a new deadline for Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. without giving further details. This occurs as the deadline set by President Donald Trump to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face an intensification of attacks against civilian infrastructure is set to expire. Axios previously reported that Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey are pressing to secure a possible ceasefire —of about 45 days— in order to avoid the attacks threatened by the United States and retaliations from the Islamic Republic against countries in the region. This is Iran's counteroffer to Donald Trump Iran sent the United States a proposal to end the war, which rejects a temporary ceasefire and seeks a permanent end to the conflict, reported IRNA this Monday. The proposal consists of 10 points, among which are the end of hostilities in the region; a safe transit protocol through the Strait of Hormuz, and the lifting of sanctions. Trump called Iran's most recent proposal a “very significant step,” but insufficient to halt the fighting. Oil prices showed little change this Monday, April 6, oscillating between losses and gains as traders focus on the real flow of barrels. Brent crude was trading near $108 per barrel, while WTI was around $110. The fighting continued, with Israel, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates reporting Iranian attacks during the night and early morning of Monday, April 6. Cited by state television, Baghaei stated that accepting a temporary easing of tensions without guarantees that the conflict will not recur is something “no rational person would do.” The fighting has left thousands dead, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, and has reduced maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz to almost zero —through which usually flows about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas.
