Iran says proposal to U.S. seeks only “legitimate rights”

TEHRAN, May 11 (Xinhua) — Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Monday that Tehran had sought only its “legitimate rights” in a new peace proposal delivered to the United States through Pakistan, which has been mediating between the two sides.

Speaking at a weekly news conference in Tehran, Baghaei said Iran’s demands included ending the war in West Asia, lifting the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian shipping, releasing Iranian assets frozen abroad, ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and restoring regional stability.

“We have not demanded any concession. The only things we demanded are the Iranian nation’s legitimate rights,” he said.

Baghaei described Tehran’s proposal as “reasonable and responsible,” saying it was aimed at protecting Iran’s interests as well as regional and global security.

He also noted that nuclear issues would be discussed later as Tehran was currently focused on ending the conflict.

U.S. President Donald Trump branded Iran’s terms for ending the war “totally unacceptable.” Baghaei accused Washington of pursuing “unreasonable demands” influenced by Israel.

Commenting on reports that European countries, including France and Britain, had deployed warships to safeguard shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Baghaei warned against outside involvement in the region.

“Any interference in issues on the Strait of Hormuz and West Asia will only further complicate the situation,” he said.

Iran, the United States, and Israel agreed to a ceasefire on April 8 after 40 days of fighting triggered by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.

Iranian and U.S. delegations later held talks in Islamabad on April 11-12 but failed to reach an agreement. Since then, the two sides have exchanged several proposals through Pakistan, while sporadic clashes have continued in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

Separately, Baghaei denied Western media reports that Iran had been dumping oil into the sea because its storage facilities were full.

He called the claims “complete lies” and dismissed reports of an oil slick near Iran’s Kharg Island as “fabricated.”

London-based maritime risk intelligence firm Windward said Friday that satellite imagery had detected an oil spill near Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export terminal. The company said the spill was first identified on May 5 and later confirmed through three satellite observations over 20 hours.

After post-ceasefire talks collapsed, the United States imposed a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz aimed at restricting vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports, which Tehran says is intended to curb its oil exports.