West Asia conflict | 'Only way to end this war...': Iran outlines three terms

Iran on Wednesday (March 11, 2026), the 12th day of the war, set three conditions for ending the conflict, including guarantees against future attacks even as the U.S. and Israel continued their air strikes in the country. “Talking to leaders of Russia and Pakistan, I reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to peace in the region,” President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote in a social media post. “The only way to end this war — ignited by the Zionist regime and U.S. — is recognising Iran’s legitimate rights, payment of reparations, and firm international guarantees against future aggression,” he said.

During nuclear talks ahead of the war, Iran had consistently argued that as a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), nuclear enrichment is “a legitimate right”. This was also the first time a senior Iranian leader called for reparations as a condition to end the war. On Tuesday (March 10, 2026), the Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin talked to Mr. Pezeshkian and called for “immediate de-escalation”. The Russian President reaffirmed his principled position in favour of a swift de-escalation of the conflict and its resolution through political means. Mr. Pezeshkian thanked Russia for its support, particularly for providing humanitarian aid to Iran,” the Kremlin said.

Since the U.S. and Israel began this war on February 28, assassinating Iran’s Supreme Leader and several other top officials, Iran has maintained that it would not talk to the U.S. and accept a ceasefire. On March 10, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of Iran’s Parliament, said Iran “believes the aggressor must be punished and taught a lesson that will deter them from attacking Iran again”. Mr. Ghalibaf, who, along with Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani, has emerged as a defiant public faces of the government, added, “The Zionist regime has consistently perpetuated a vicious cycle of ‘war, negotiations, ceasefire, then war again’ throughout its disgusting history. We will break this cycle.” U.S. President Donald on Wednesday (March 11, 2026) said in an interview that he could end the war any time. “Practically there is nothing much left to strike,” he said, while the U.S. and Israel continued to carry out air strikes in Iran.