‘Lift Sanctions, End the War, Then Talk’: Iran Pushes for Peace Talks Within Two Days, Asks ‘Is That Too Much to Ask?’

Iran defended a proposal to restart peace talks within two days as the most reasonable offer, rejecting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's description of its conditions as 'outrageous and ridiculous'. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran insists on lifting US sanctions and naval blockade and ending hostilities before negotiations, and dismissed US pressure on Iraq over borders.