Iran holds to seven demands to end war as US strikes Qeshm island

Iran said overnight US strikes hit the southern island of Qeshm without damaging residential, commercial or vital infrastructure, and Tehran insisted the pressure would not change its seven demands to end the war. Al Jazeera, in a report from Tehran, said talks aimed at preventing new major fighting between the US and Iran are continuing. Al Jazeera reported that previous US attacks on Qeshm have targeted Iranian air defences and radar installations.

According to Al Jazeera, the seven demands include lifting the US blockade on Iran's southern ports and lifting sanctions on Tehran. Al Jazeera said the terms mostly amount to a return to the Islamabad memorandum of understanding signed in June between Iran and the US, with additional stipulations on the future of the Strait of Hormuz.

What we know

• Al Jazeera reported that Ahmad Nafisi, deputy governor for Hormozgan, confirmed on Monday morning that Qeshm was targeted overnight but no residential and commercial areas or vital infrastructure were damaged.
• Al Jazeera said the US did not directly acknowledge the latest strikes, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Washington's characterisation of similar recent strikes on Qeshm as "defensive".
• NewsCord, citing AP, reported that President Donald Trump confirmed "minor strikes" on Qeshm and described the action as "not a war", saying the US military on Friday targeted an air defense system in the Suza area of the island.
• Al Jazeera reported that Esmail Baghaei, spokesman of Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, rejected Rubio's remarks that some of the demands were "ridiculous and really not realistic", and said at a news conference in Tehran: "Iran’s plan is still the most logical plan on the table."
• NewsCord reported that Euronews said Trump insisted "we are not fighting" while Qatar and the US insisted negotiations were continuing.
• Al Jazeera reported that Baghaei called the US announcement of a reward of up to $20m for information on Iran's nuclear programme a ploy by the Trump administration, made after the Republican Party's heavy defeats in midterm elections.

What we don't know yet

• Al Jazeera said the US did not directly acknowledge the overnight strikes, and neither outlet reports what the strikes targeted this time.
• Al Jazeera said Washington appears unwilling to accept Iran's seven demands, and the reports do not say whether mediators have narrowed the gap.
• Al Jazeera cited reports that Trump and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani would meet at the White House on Monday, and neither outlet reports the outcome.
• NewsCord, citing AP, reported that one Middle East government official said Iran, at least for now, was unwilling to negotiate with the Trump administration over its atomic activities until the US agreed to several core conditions for a ceasefire agreement, and what those conditions would finally include is not reported.