US offers 15-point peace plan to Iran; demands total nuclear dismantlement to end Middle East war

Washington: The United States has presented Iran with a comprehensive 15-point ceasefire proposal aimed at terminating the month-old war in the Middle East, according to multiple news reports on Tuesday.

The peace initiative was transmitted to Iranian officials through Pakistani intermediaries, the New York Times reported. While ABC News noted that the framework addresses Tehran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs alongside regional maritime security, specific details regarding which Iranian officials received the document remain undisclosed.

It is currently not known if the Israeli government has formally endorsed the American proposal.

The 15-Point Framework

According to the Wall Street Journal, the plan mandates that Iran dismantle its three primary nuclear installations—Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordo—and cease all uranium enrichment on its territory. The proposal further requires Tehran to:

• Suspend all ballistic missile development.
• Terminate its "regional proxy paradigm" by ending the funding, arming, and direction of armed groups.
• Fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping.
• Grant the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) unfettered access to all nuclear-related sites.

In exchange for these concessions, the international community would lift nuclear-related sanctions. Additionally, the U.S. would provide assistance and oversight for a purely civilian Iranian nuclear program and pledged to eliminate the "snapback" mechanism, which currently allows for the unilateral and automatic reimposition of sanctions.

Presidential Claims of Victory

During remarks on Tuesday afternoon, President Donald Trump reiterated his assertion that the United States has already achieved its primary military objectives in Iran.

Trump emphasised that preventing Tehran from acquiring an atomic arsenal remained the conflict's central goal. "We're talking about that, and I don't want to say in advance, but they've agreed they will never have a nuclear weapon. They've agreed to that," the president said.

Despite the president’s optimistic tone, it remains to be seen how the Iranian leadership will respond to the demand for a total dismantlement of its domestic enrichment capabilities.

With inputs from PTI