[57690] Tehran: There is no alternative to lifting sanctions and ending the siege to achieve sustainable peace

[57690] Tehran: There is no alternative to lifting sanctions and ending the siege to achieve sustainable peace

Diplomatic tension: Iran sets conditions for a regional settlement

In a series of statements published on May 12, 2026, Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, attacked the Western approach to negotiations. According to him, as reported by Iran International, which is associated with critical positions toward the Iranian regime, "True peace is not built with the language of humiliation, threats, and extortion of concessions."

Gharibabadi clarified that Tehran demands "a permanent cessation of the war, compensation for damages, lifting of the siege, cancellation of illegal sanctions, and respect for the rights of the Islamic Republic," according to the report by Akhbar Fori. Iranian government sources, including Hami-yan Pezeshkian, emphasize that these are not "maximalist demands" but minimum requirements in accordance with the UN Charter.

In sharp criticism of international involvement, the Iranian official claimed in News1 Fori that parties talking about "regional stability" while providing military and political support to Israel – which he termed "the source of aggression and destabilization" – are actually conducting "a policy of coercion in diplomatic attire."

A summary of the data indicates that Iran's leadership rejects the current proposals, claiming they constitute a "surrender document" rather than a sincere peace proposal. Fars News, a news agency associated with the lines of the conservative establishment in Iran, summarized the matter by saying that one cannot continue to talk about diplomacy while simultaneously escalating sanctions and providing direct military support in the region.