Iran Sets Five Preconditions for New Talks with the US<br />Introduction<br /><br />Iran has laid down five preconditions for any new round of talks with the United States. According to a report by Iran's semi-official news agency Fars News Agency on Tuesday, citing an unnamed source, Iran will not participate in a second round of negotiations unless these conditions—aimed at building confidence—are met.<br /><br />The source described these conditions as the "maximum confidence-building guarantees" that must be satisfied before any new discussions with Washington can begin.<br /><br />The Five Preconditions<br /><br />What exactly is Iran demanding? Let me walk you through them.<br /><br />First, an end to hostilities in all areas, with special emphasis on activities in Lebanon.<br /><br />Second, the lifting of all economic sanctions on Iran.<br /><br />Third, the release of Iranian assets that have been frozen abroad.<br /><br />Fourth, compensation for damages caused by the war.<br /><br />And fifth, recognition of Iran's sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz—the narrow waterway that carries approximately 20% of the world's oil and is of immense strategic importance for global energy trade.<br /><br />The same source said that these Iranian demands were sent to the United States in response to a 14-point proposal put forward by the US side.<br /><br />Iran's Position on US Naval Movements<br /><br />According to the report, Iran has also informed the three countries acting as mediators in the talks that the continued blocking of US naval movements in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman—even after the ceasefire—has created a burden on Iran's goodwill toward Washington.<br /><br />The sources emphasized that these conditions are intended only to create the minimum level of trust necessary for talks to proceed. Iran sent its official response to the latest US proposal through the mediator in Tehran on Sunday.<br /><br />Iran's Nuclear Stance<br /><br />Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Thursday that Iran's proposal is aimed solely at guaranteeing the legitimate rights of the Iranian people. Meanwhile, Ibrahim Rezaei, spokesman for the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, warned on Tuesday that Iran could build up its nuclear enrichment to 90% if there is a renewed attack. This warning was reported by The New York Times and cited by IR International.<br /><br />It is also worth noting that US intelligence assessments have shown that Iran still retains significant nuclear capability, despite months of military pressure from both the United States and Israel. The report states that Iran is believed to still retain a substantial portion of its nuclear capabilities, even in the face of multiple military operations targeting its military infrastructure.<br /><br />US officials have estimated that although parts of Iran's nuclear facilities and launch systems have been damaged, the country continues to maintain a usable arsenal and significant missile production capacity.<br /><br />Mohammad Eslami, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, has made it clear that nuclear
