stevenpiziks | A Promise of a Proposal

So Iran says it won't participate in peace talks unless Lebanon agrees to a ceasefire and a release of Iranian assets.

But ... how does that discussion not count as peace talks? Iran is talking about conditions for peace.

This kind of thing happens all the time. The media reports, "Politician A To Announce Bid For Presidency." Isn't releasing that statement already an announcement to run? A long-standing theme in advice columns is a woman who is upset because her boyfriend hasn't proposed, even though he's said he will do so soon. Isn't the promise to propose already a proposal?

This phenomenon has always puzzled me.