Iran tells foreign envoys ‘ball is in America’s court’ on war proposal

Iran has briefed foreign ambassadors in Tehran on its latest proposal to end the US-led war, saying the plan has been submitted to Pakistan as mediator and that Washington must now choose between diplomacy and confrontation.

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, met foreign ambassadors based in Tehran on Saturday to discuss what he described as Iran’s proposal to end the “war and aggression” by the United States and Israel.

Gharibabadi said Iran was fully prepared to repel any attack against the country and its people, while adding that Tehran still believed in diplomacy based on national interests.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has submitted its plan to Pakistan as mediator with the aim of permanently ending the imposed war, and now the ball is in America’s court to choose the path of diplomacy or the continuation of a confrontational approach,” he said.

He added that Iran was prepared for both scenarios in pursuit of its national interests and security, while maintaining what he called its “pessimism and mistrust” toward the United States and Washington’s sincerity in diplomacy.

Before the meeting with foreign envoys, the ambassadors of China and Russia also held a trilateral meeting with Gharibabadi.