Iran delivers response to Pakistan about US proposal to end war

[0:00] Iran has responded to Pakistan's ceasefire initiative, demanding a permanent end to the war with the U.S. and Israel. [0:07] State media says Tehran's conditions include a new protocol for passage in the Strait of Hormuz. [0:12] That's after a renewed wave of Israeli attacks on dozens of aircraft in Tehran and other locations in the country. [0:20] The strikes come shortly after it targeted Iran's largest petrochemical complex in the port city of Asalua. [0:25] The facility processes natural gas from the offshore South Paz field. [0:31] Iran says the attack damaged several production units. [0:35] Strikes hit facilities that supply the complex with electricity, water and oxygen, bringing operations to a halt. [0:42] The Israeli defence minister says the attack is a severe economic blow to Tehran. [0:46] Last month, Israel hit a storage facility in the South Paz gas field. [0:50] Iran responded by targeting energy sites across the region, including Qatar's Ras Lafan facility. [0:56] The South Paz forms part of a 9,700-square-kilometre gas field, the largest on Earth, jointly held by Iran and Qatar. [1:07] For Iran, South Paz is the backbone of its energy supply, meeting around 80% of the country's domestic natural gas demand. [1:15] Stretching beneath the Gulf, the field is divided. [1:18] Roughly one-third lies within Iran's territory of South Paz, while the larger share extends into Qatari waters, [1:26] known as Dar es Salaam. [1:26] The North Dome Field. [1:29] Well, we are live in Dubai, Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, the White House and Tehran. [1:34] Let's begin with Ali Hashim in the Iranian capital. [1:37] Good to see you, Ali. [1:38] So, Iran, we understand, responding to Pakistan's ceasefire initiative. [1:42] What more do we know? [1:43] Well, Iran responded to the 15 points initiative that was, or at least 15 points that President Trump sent. [1:58] The Iranians seem to have refused parts of this plan. [2:03] Mainly, they responded with calling for peace to be across the region. [2:10] They do not want a ceasefire. [2:12] They have issues. [2:14] They are having reservations. [2:17] They're putting reservations on the idea of ceasefire. [2:19] So, they want a peace plan for the whole region. [2:23] That means all regional conflicts that are already going on right now. [2:27] They want them to be part of this solution. [2:30] Second thing, that they want a protocol. [2:33] A protocol for safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz. [2:37] This is what they are offering. [2:40] Also, clearly, they're saying that based on previous experiences with the United States, [2:47] they cannot accept a ceasefire. [2:51] That's why they want something comprehensive and completely different. [2:56] This is what the Iranians are putting now on the table. [2:59] How would the other side, how President Trump is going to deal with, [3:03] this is going to be the big question. [3:08] Ali, back with you in a second. [3:09] Let's now speak to our White House correspondent, Kimberly Hackett. [3:12] Look at this in more detail with you, Kimberly. [3:14] So, confirmation the Iranians are engaging in diplomatic efforts with terms of their own. [3:20] We talked previously about dual-track diplomacy coming from the US. [3:25] So, issuing threats while apparently engaging in talks. [3:29] Can you shed some light on where we are right now when it comes to the US stance? [3:35] Well, it still is a dual-track. [3:38] What we know is that the Vice President, along with Middle East envoys, [3:43] Witkoff and Kushner, and also the Secretary of State. [3:47] But for the most part, the Vice President has been leading these discussions [3:52] and these back-channel discussions with intermediaries. [3:55] But the bottom line is, is that there has been no signature from the US President on any deal [4:02] that would lead to a 45-day ceasefire. [4:05] Because as you point out, the US President is continuing with these threats [4:11] and that looming deadline of Tuesday, 8 p.m. Washington time, [4:15] for there to be some sort of agreement that would not only halt hostilities, [4:20] but also reopen the Strait of Hormuz. [4:23] In fact, the US President continuing that maximum pressure in order to get Iran to comply, [4:29] saying he will, quote, blow up the whole country if a deal is not reached. [4:33] Now, the US President, [4:35] who is expected to have a 17 GMT press conference today, [4:39] where he'll be talking about the rescue of the second airman from that F-15E, [4:45] a story that Al Jazeera English broke on Saturday evening. [4:49] We're going to hear from the President and hopefully also get some clarity [4:52] on where things stand, not only on the discussions, [4:55] but also on whether or not he really is firm about this deadline. [5:00] Given the fact that the US President has issued deadlines to reopen the Strait before, [5:05] he's expected to extend them. [5:08] Thanks, Kimberly. Back with Ali Hashim in Tehran. [5:10] Ali, so as Kimberly was saying there, dual track diplomacy is happening right now. [5:17] So the threat of violence coupled with the potential for talks. [5:21] We have seen the threat of violence become a reality in Iran in the past 24 hours, [5:27] particularly when it comes to the targeting of the South Paz facility by Israeli forces. [5:33] What more are you learning on that? [5:38] Well, the attack [5:39] on the South Paz comes as the attacks on other infrastructure is going on. [5:44] We saw attacks on universities on South Paz, [5:48] which is actually a strategic field for the Iranians. [5:52] And given the precedence, this is going to trigger a retaliation [5:58] that is going to overcomplicate the whole situation. [6:02] We've seen attacks on pharmaceutical factories. [6:08] We've seen attacks [6:09] on chemical factories. [6:13] We've seen attacks on universities today. [6:16] The University of Sharif, that's described by the Iranian foreign minister [6:21] as the MIT of Iran yesterday, University of Beheshti the day before, [6:28] on Al-Mosanaat and others and others and others. [6:33] So what we are seeing currently is kind of a deliberate [6:38] attacking of the infrastructure, science infrastructure, [6:45] also infrastructure related to the factories. [6:50] And also now we're seeing energy, plus the latest announcement by [6:57] the Israelis that they've attacked several planes in different airports. [7:03] We have Mehrabad this morning, 4 a.m. in the morning. [7:08] Today, Mashhad, three explosions were heard at that. [7:12] It's the second biggest city in Iran, by the way. [7:15] And to the south of Iran, Ahwaz also yesterday. [7:20] There have been around three airstrikes on the airport. [7:24] Ali Hashim in Tehran. Thank you.