Iran has communicated to regional intermediaries that it wants a formal pledge from the United States that neither Washington nor Israel will mount future strikes against Iranian territory as a precondition for accepting a ceasefire, according to a report citing multiple officials familiar with the private exchanges.
The officials, who spoke on the basis of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions, described Tehran as particularly concerned about the prospect of Israeli attacks once the current fighting subsides. Those concerns were relayed through confidential channels involving European and Middle Eastern governments, the officials said.
It is unclear whether U.S. officials are prepared to offer the kind of guarantee Iran is seeking, and the report noted uncertainty about Washington's capacity to compel or secure compliance from Israel if such a pledge were made. The communications are taking place outside of formal diplomatic forums, relying on intermediaries to carry messages among the parties.
Separately, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian set out his view of what would be required to bring the conflict to an end. On Wednesday he said the only path to ending the war depends on "recognizing Iran’s legitimate rights, payment of reparations, and firm int’l guarantees against future aggression."
The account of the back-channel exchanges does not specify the precise form or language Tehran would accept for assurances, nor does it indicate whether interlocutors have relayed a U.S. response. The officials who provided the information did not identify the intermediaries by name, only that the contacts involved European and Middle Eastern actors.
Given the limited public detail, important questions remain about whether any negotiation over guarantees is underway in parallel with other diplomatic efforts and how those discussions might interact with broader efforts to halt hostilities.
Summary - Iran has conveyed via intermediaries that it requires a U.S. guarantee against future U.S. or Israeli strikes as a condition for a ceasefire, while officials say it is uncertain whether Washington can or will provide such a pledge. President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that ending the war requires rights recognition, reparations, and firm international guarantees against future aggression.