US offers ceasefire plan but Iran's military dismisses talks

ISLAMABAD — Iran has received a 15-point proposal from the U.S. to reach a ceasefire in the war, two Pakistani officials said on Wednesday.

The Pakistani officials described the proposal broadly as touching on sanctions relief, civilian nuclear cooperation, a rollback of Iran’s nuclear program, monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency, missile limits and access for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf.

The officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as they weren’t authorized to release the details.

Iran has insisted it isn’t engaged in negotiations with the U.S. and a military spokesman mocked America over its diplomatic efforts Wednesday.

Meanwhile, an Egyptian official involved in mediation efforts between Iran and the U.S. described the 15-points put forward by the Americans as “a comprehensive deal” to reach a truce in the war.

The official said the proposal includes restrictions on Iran’s missile program and its arming of armed groups, as well as allowing traffic to flow through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf. However, the proposal “is being treated” as a base for further negotiations between the nations, he added.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the yet-publicized details of the proposal, said Iranian officials remain “very skeptical” of the Trump administration.

The official likened the 15-point plan to Gaza ceasefire’s 20-point plan - which means it requires “immense efforts to hamper the details if there is an agreement from both sides to sit down and negotiate.”

Mediators were pushing for a possible in-person negotiation between the Iranians and the Americans, perhaps as soon as Friday in Pakistan, the Egyptian official and the two Pakistani officials said.

However, that would require the Americans to immediately start traveling from the U.S. to reach there in time. Meanwhile, Iranian officials likely remain worried about the Israelis, whose airstrikes in the war have killed officials up to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The remarks from Islamabad and Cairo came even as the U.S. began to move paratroopers to the Mideast to back up a contingent of Marines heading there on Wednesday.

Iran's military scoffed at the diplomatic effort and launched on Wednesday more attacks on Israel and the Persian Gulf region, including an assault that sparked a fire at Kuwait International Airport.

With growing pressure on the U.S. to end the war as it nears the end of its first month, Washington submitted the 15-point plan to Iran through intermediaries from Pakistan who have offered to host renewed negotiations, according to a person briefed on the contours of the proposal who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Iran's attacks on regional energy infrastructure and its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a fifth of the world's oil is shipped, has sent oil prices skyrocketing and rocked world markets over fears of a global energy crisis.

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Magdy reported from Cairo.