Iran says ending war, lifting blockade and sanctions ‘minimum requirements’ for peace

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tuesday that ending the war, lifting the blockade and removing sanctions are the “minimum requirements” for any serious peace arrangement, accusing the United States of pursuing pressure rather than diplomacy.

In a post on the US social media company X, Gharibabadi said “real peace” cannot be built through “humiliation, threats and forced concessions.”

“When a party directly involved in war, blockade, sanctions and threats of force rejects Iran’s response simply because it is not a surrender document, it becomes clear that the main issue is not peace, but imposing political will through pressure and threats,” he wrote.

Gharibabadi said Iran has emphasized “clear principles,” including a permanent end to the war, preventing its recurrence, compensation, lifting the blockade and illegal sanctions, and respect for Iran’s rights.

“These are not maximalist demands; they are the minimum requirements for any serious, sustainable arrangement consistent with the UN Charter to end a crisis created through the unlawful use of force,” he added.

The deputy foreign minister also criticized what he described as contradictory Western policies.

“You cannot speak of a ceasefire while continuing a blockade, talk about diplomacy while intensifying sanctions, or claim to support regional stability while politically and militarily backing a regime that is the source of aggression and instability,” he wrote.

“Such an approach is not negotiation; it is the continuation of coercive policy through diplomatic language,” he added.

The US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. The truce was later extended by US President Donald Trump without a set deadline.

On Sunday, Iran sent Pakistan its response to a US proposal for ending the war, but Trump dismissed it as "totally unacceptable."

Iranian officials say Tehran’s proposal focuses on ending the war, lifting sanctions and restoring maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz.