US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he expected a response from Iran by tonight regarding Washington’s latest proposal to end the conflict, while Tehran maintained that it was still examining the offer and had not reached a final decision.
“I’m expecting a letter tonight, so we’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters outside the White House before leaving for his golf club in Sterling, Virginia. Asked whether Iran was deliberately delaying the process, he said, “We’ll know soon enough.”
According to CNN, citing Iranian media reports, Tehran is still evaluating the “messages” conveyed by the United States through Pakistani mediators and has not yet made a final decision on the proposal.
The proposed deal is a concise 14-point, one-page memorandum aimed at stopping the conflict and initiating formal talks between Washington and Tehran. As part of the arrangement, Iran may suspend its nuclear enrichment activities, while the United States could consider easing sanctions and unfreezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets.
The plan reportedly also outlines measures by both countries to ease restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil shipping route that has been at the center of escalating military tensions in recent weeks. The agreement would start with a 30-day negotiation phase intended to lay the foundation for a broader and more permanent accord.
The proposed deal is a concise 14-point, one-page memorandum aimed at stopping the conflict and initiating formal talks between Washington and Tehran. As part of the arrangement, Iran may suspend its nuclear enrichment activities, while the United States could consider easing sanctions and unfreezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets.
The plan reportedly also outlines measures by both countries to ease restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil shipping route that has been at the centre of escalating military tensions in recent weeks. The agreement would start with a 30-day negotiation phase intended to lay the foundation for a broader and more permanent accord.
The diplomatic efforts come against the backdrop of ongoing military tensions in and around the Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian military source warned that confrontations could erupt again if the United States intervenes with Iranian vessels in the area. Although the source described the current atmosphere as “calm”, it noted there was still “a possibility of renewed conflict” should US forces attempt to obstruct Iranian ships, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency.
Earlier, Iran’s Fars news agency reported “sporadic clashes” between Iranian forces and US naval vessels in the strategically important waterway. The tensions intensified after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that American forces had targeted two empty Iranian-flagged oil tankers that were allegedly trying to bypass an ongoing US blockade by entering an Iranian port through the Gulf of Oman.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces launched strikes on Iranian military targets after Iranian forces allegedly attacked three US destroyers passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. “US forces intercepted unprovoked Iranian attacks and responded with self-defence strikes as US Navy guided-missile destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz into the Gulf of Oman,” CENTCOM stated.
Iran’s central military command, however, accused Washington of breaching the ceasefire agreement.
Trump issues warning to Iran
Following the strikes, US President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Tehran on Truth Social, urging Iran not to escalate tensions further and calling on the country to swiftly finalise a deal with Washington.
“We’ll hit them much harder and far more aggressively in the future if they don’t sign the deal quickly!” Trump wrote.
At the same time, in an interview with ABC News, Trump maintained that the ceasefire with Iran was still holding, while downplaying the latest US strikes by describing them as a “love tap.”