Iran has declared that it will not sign any agreement with the United States unless its national interests and sovereign rights are fully protected, as reports suggest Washington has submitted a tougher proposal aimed at ending tensions in the Middle East.
The latest development comes amid ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington over a possible framework to formally end hostilities in the region and restore stability to key international shipping routes, including the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking on state television on Sunday, Iran’s chief negotiator and parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stressed that Tehran would not accept any deal that fails to safeguard the interests of the Iranian people.
“We will not approve any agreement until we are certain that the rights of the Iranian people have been upheld,” Ghalibaf said.
His remarks followed reports by major international media outlets that US President Donald Trump had returned a revised proposal to Iran containing stricter conditions than previous drafts. While details of the new framework remain unclear, analysts believe the changes could prolong negotiations between the two countries.
President Trump has repeatedly stated that his administration’s key objectives are preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons and ensuring free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit routes.
“The one guarantee that I have to have is that there will be no nuclear weapons,” Trump said during an interview on Fox News. “They’ve agreed to that, and it was very interesting.”
However, Iranian officials have questioned those claims and insist significant differences remain between both sides on several critical issues.
Tehran is reportedly demanding the release of approximately $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets before engaging in broader discussions regarding its nuclear programme. Iranian authorities have also rejected suggestions that their enriched uranium stockpile would be destroyed under any future agreement.
The negotiations have taken place against a backdrop of continued instability in the region despite a temporary ceasefire reached earlier this year. Although large-scale hostilities have subsided, sporadic military incidents continue to threaten efforts to secure a lasting peace.
Iranian state media recently reported that the country’s Revolutionary Guards shot down a US military drone that allegedly approached Iranian territorial waters. The United States has yet to officially comment on the incident.
Meanwhile, tensions have also escalated in neighbouring Lebanon, where fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants continues despite diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a ceasefire.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that Israeli troops had advanced beyond the Litani River and raised the Israeli flag over the historic Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, a move likely to further inflame regional tensions.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of pursuing a “scorched-earth policy” and called for an immediate and genuine ceasefire to prevent further destruction.
Despite the renewed violence, diplomatic contacts between regional and international stakeholders continue, with negotiators hoping to reach a breakthrough that could ease tensions, restore trade through the Strait of Hormuz, and prevent a wider conflict in the Middle East.
Observers say the coming days will be crucial as both Iran and the United States weigh their next moves in negotiations that could shape the region’s future and influence global energy markets.
