Tehran, May 10 — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian asserted a firm stance on the country’s diplomacy, saying engagement with other powers is a tactical effort to secure rights, not a sign of weakness. In a post on X, he wrote, “We will never bow our heads before the enemy, and if talk of dialogue or negotiation arises, it does not mean surrender or retreat.”
Pezeshkian linked diplomatic outreach to the protection of national sovereignty and the welfare of the population, saying Tehran’s participation in talks depends on preserving Iran’s core rights and defending national interests decisively.
The remarks came as Iran formally submitted its response to a U.S. proposal aimed at de-escalating regional hostilities. State media reported the reply was transmitted through Pakistani intermediaries in Islamabad after a thorough internal review, following earlier Foreign Ministry statements that Tehran’s “views and considerations” would be sent only after final conclusions.
Iranian outlets said the U.S.-led draft focuses on ending the war, reopening commercial access to key shipping lanes and addressing Tehran’s nuclear program. Tehran has also circulated its own counterproposal — reported as a 14-point plan divided into three stages, including a 30-day phase intended to convert a temporary ceasefire into a complete end to hostilities. That framework was described by some broadcasters as a direct response to a U.S. nine-point peace plan.
Reports indicate Iran’s draft demands lifting sanctions, ending a blockade on Iranian ports, withdrawing U.S. forces from the region and halting hostilities, including an insistence on ending Israel’s fighting in Lebanon. Washington has been awaiting Tehran’s feedback on the new diplomatic outline.
The diplomatic exchanges unfold against rising tensions at sea and warnings from Tehran that its policy of strategic restraint may be ending. Iranian military chief Ali Abdollahi held talks with the Supreme Leader and, state television reported, received new directives to continue operations to confront perceived threats.
Several recent maritime incidents have heightened alarm: South Korea reported an unidentified aircraft struck a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz; Qatari authorities said a freighter traveling from Abu Dhabi was hit by a drone near the port of Mesaieed; and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said a bulk carrier suffered a strike by an unknown projectile, causing a small fire that was extinguished with no casualties or environmental damage reported. No group immediately claimed responsibility. Iran’s Fars news agency asserted the struck vessel was U.S.-flagged and U.S.-owned.
Domestically hawkish voices have amplified the response rhetoric. Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for the parliament’s national security commission, declared on social media, “Our restraint is over as of today,” warning that any attack on Iranian vessels would provoke a strong, decisive response against American ships and bases. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reiterated threats to target U.S. interests in the region if Iranian tankers are attacked, following reports that a U.S. fighter jet recently fired on and disabled two Iran-flagged vessels in the Gulf of Oman.
As both sides signal firmness, diplomatic efforts to halt fighting and restore secure shipping are moving forward alongside mounting military readiness and competing security claims.
