Iran's armed forces chief of staff, Major-General Ali Abdollahi, outlined on Tuesday five conditions he said were needed for lasting regional security, warning in remarks carried by IRNA that Tehran could respond to future threats without geographical restrictions.
His remarks came as Qatar intensified mediation between Iran and the United States, a day after US strikes on Qeshm Island, which lies in the Strait of Hormuz at the centre of his fourth condition.
Abdollahi's first condition called for an end to hostilities across the region, particularly in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. He also rejected negotiations conducted under military pressure.
His second condition demanded the complete removal of sanctions and the release of frozen Iranian assets. The third sought compensation for wartime damage, with Abdollahi describing Iran as a creditor rather than a debtor.
The fourth condition sought recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and the replacement of the US-led security framework with what he called a "Hormuz mechanism", according to state broadcaster IRIB.
His final demand called for guarantees against future military attacks and security arrangements led by regional countries.
Abdollahi also warned that Iranian forces could target adversaries' assets beyond geographical boundaries.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said Tuesday that Washington and Tehran were reviewing proposals intended to establish a framework for renewed negotiations.
A Qatari delegation met Iranian officials in Tehran for more than three hours Monday, following diplomatic exchanges involving both countries over preceding days.
"If there were no glimmer of hope, there would be no negotiations," al-Ansari said, warning that further military escalation could undermine the talks.
The diplomatic efforts continued despite US strikes on Qeshm Island on Monday. President Donald Trump confirmed the strikes in a telephone interview with Fox News on Tuesday, calling it "just a minor attack" and saying: "When you talk about war, this isn't really war." Trump said US forces had watched an anti-aircraft site being built and struck it once it was completed. Unnamed US officials gave a different account, saying the strike destroyed a missile launcher after a surface-to-air missile was fired at a US aircraft.
just a minor attackDonald J. Trump
Iranian authorities reported explosions on the island, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have destroyed three American drones near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Tehran had delivered its response and urged Washington to prevent another conflict.
US Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism Monday about a negotiated settlement.
The developments underscore persistent tensions following the US-Israeli war launched against Iran on February 28, with diplomatic engagement continuing alongside military warnings.