A Ceasefire Is Not Surrender—Iran's Ten-Point "Ultimatum"

On April 7, Trump declared that "Iran has essentially been destroyed"; on April 8, Iran announced acceptance of a ceasefire—but in its ten-point plan, Iran's conditions nearly encompass all core demands, from lifting sanctions to U.S. military withdrawal, from control of the Strait of Hormuz to the legalization of uranium enrichment activities. Who is making concessions to whom in this "ceasefire"?

1. Iran's Ten-Point Plan: A Comprehensive "Price List"

Early morning on April 8, Iran's Supreme National Security Council issued a statement detailing the ten-point plan submitted to the U.S. via Pakistan. The statement boldly declared that nearly all of Iran's objectives in this conflict have been achieved, with the enemy "suffering a historic and thorough defeat." Iran will "continue the struggle until its great gains are consolidated and a new security and political order is established in the region."

The core contents of the ten-point plan include:

1. Coordinating with Iran's armed forces to achieve controlled passage through the Strait of Hormuz, granting Iran unique economic and geopolitical status;
2. Ending all wars against "Resistance Axis" members and ending Israeli aggression;
3. U.S. combat forces withdrawing from all bases and deployments in the region;
4. Establishing a security navigation agreement in the Strait of Hormuz to ensure Iran's dominant role;
5. Assessing and fully compensating Iran for damages suffered;
6. Lifting all primary and secondary sanctions against Iran, including relevant UN Security Council and IAEA resolutions;
7. Releasing all Iranian assets and properties frozen abroad;
8. Accepting Iran's uranium enrichment activities;
9. Terminating relevant UN Security Council and IAEA resolutions;
10. Ceasing all fighting on all fronts, including Lebanon.

Finally, all these matters should be approved through a binding Security Council resolution.

It is noteworthy that Iran explicitly states that a ceasefire does not mean the end of war. Only when all principles in Iran's ten-point plan are accepted and details finalized through negotiations will Iran agree to end hostilities. In other words, for Iran, a ceasefire is merely the starting point of negotiations, not the end of concessions.

2. The Strait of Hormuz: Iran's Most Critical Strategic Leverage

Throughout the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz has always been Iran's most crucial bargaining chip. On the very day the ceasefire was reached—April 7—Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee spokesman Ebrahim Rezaei explicitly stated in a TV interview that the history of the Strait of Hormuz should be divided into two phases: before and after this "imposed war." He emphasized that the Strait will not return to its previous state, and that military or terrorist ships will no longer pass easily. Iran is formulating special arrangements to ensure the security of the Strait, which will be confirmed through legislation.

Iranian Foreign Minister's statement also confirms this long-term stance: the security passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be achieved within two weeks—on the condition that "attacks on Iran cease."

3. Iranian Foreign Minister: Trump Has Made Concessions

On April 8, Iran explicitly described the ceasefire agreement as a "concession" by Trump. Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian stated that Trump's decision to temporarily cease fire for two weeks is an acknowledgment of Iran's position. He emphasized that if attacks on Iran stop, ships will be able to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz within the next two weeks.

In response, the Iranian Supreme National Security Council's statement characterized the ceasefire as Iran's "victory," emphasizing that all agreements reached in negotiations will become binding international law, bringing Iran an important diplomatic victory. The statement also added a significant warning: if negotiations fail, Iran is prepared for battle.

4. China’s Last-Minute Intervention: Pushing Iran to Agree to the Ceasefire

It is worth noting that the ceasefire was not achieved solely through Pakistan's efforts. According to The New York Times on April 7, three Iranian officials revealed that before the ceasefire was reached, Pakistan engaged in intensive diplomatic mediation. China also intervened at the last moment, urging Iran to exercise restraint and show flexibility to de-escalate the situation. The Associated Press reported that an official involved in the mediation said that as the deadline approached, both China and U.S. Vice President Vance helped facilitate the agreement, with China successfully persuading Iran to accept the ceasefire.

This information indicates that the ceasefire was the result of multilateral diplomatic efforts, not just a unilateral decision by one side.

Summary: Iran’s willingness to accept a ceasefire reveals a complex tension with its ten-point plan—on the surface, it is "accepting the ceasefire"; in substance, it is a comprehensive "price list" including sanctions removal, U.S. military withdrawal, permanent control of the Strait of Hormuz, and legalization of uranium enrichment. Trump claimed on social media that "we received Iran’s ten-point proposal and consider it a feasible basis for negotiations," but Iran also clearly stated that "a ceasefire does not mean the end of war," and "if negotiations fail, we are prepared for battle." On April 10, the U.S. and Iran will begin a two-week negotiation in Islamabad, Pakistan—but given the significant gaps in their positions, whether two weeks is enough to bridge the differences remains uncertain.