US Response to Iran's Peace Proposal
Iran has received a response from the United States regarding its latest peace proposal, according to Iranian state-linked media reports.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson stated that the US reply, delivered through Pakistan, is currently under review, as reported by the Tasnim news agency.
The US has not officially confirmed that it has responded to Tehran. On Saturday, President Donald Trump indicated that he would "soon be reviewing the plan that Iran has just sent to us, but can't imagine that it would be acceptable."
Details of Iran's 14-Point Plan
Iranian state media detailed that Tehran's 14-point proposal requests Washington to withdraw its forces stationed near Iran's borders, end the naval blockade of Iranian ports, and cease all hostilities, including Israel's offensive in Lebanon.
The plan also calls for an agreement between the two nations to be reached within 30 days.
Additionally, the proposal urges both parties to prioritize "ending the war" rather than merely extending the existing ceasefire.
President Trump's Response and Remarks
Referring to the proposal, President Trump posted on Truth Social late Saturday:
"They have not yet paid a big enough price for what they have done to Humanity, and the World, over the last 47 years."
Speaking to reporters in Palm Beach, Florida, on the same day, Trump said he had not yet reviewed the plan in detail.
"They told me about the concept of the deal," he said. "They're going to give me the exact wording now."
When asked by the BBC about the possibility of renewing military strikes inside Iran, Trump responded that it was "a possibility." He added:
"If they misbehave. If they do something bad. But right now we'll see."
Trump also expressed reluctance to withdraw from the conflict entirely, stating,
"We're not leaving" and "we're going to do it, so nobody has to go back in two years or five years."
Context of the Proposal and US Plans
Iranian state-linked agencies reported that Tehran's latest proposal was made in response to a nine-point US plan that envisioned a two-month ceasefire.
On Friday, President Trump sent a letter to members of the US Congress declaring the conflict "terminated" since the ceasefire took effect on 8 April, despite Iran continuing to pose a "significant" threat to US forces in the region.
Trump argued that the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports did not constitute continuation of the conflict.
"It's a very friendly blockade," he said. "Nobody is even challenging it."
He also maintained that he was not bound by a deadline for legislative approval of the war, as the truce had paused the clock on any such requirement.
By law, a US president must obtain Congressional approval within 60 days of notifying lawmakers of military action or cease hostilities. Friday marked the 60th day since Trump formally notified Congress of US strikes against Iran on 2 March. The US and Israel launched attacks two days earlier, on 28 February.
Nuclear Weapons and Political Reactions
During his remarks, Trump reiterated his position that
"Iran can never have a nuclear weapon."
Iran has consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons, asserting its program is for peaceful purposes only. However, it remains the only non-nuclear-armed state to have enriched uranium near weapons-grade levels.
Trump's comments come amid growing frustration among US lawmakers, including many Republicans, over what they perceive as a costly and complex war with unclear objectives.
Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley urged the Trump administration to begin redeploying forces away from the conflict and emphasized the necessity of Congressional approval for the war's continuation.
"I don't really want to do that," Hawley said. "I want to wind it down."
Another Republican Senator, Alaska's Lisa Murkowski, a prominent Trump critic, expressed skepticism about the operation's success and the prospects for negotiations.
"While the administration may point to ongoing negotiations, events on the ground and the rhetoric coming out of Tehran tell a different story," she said.
"But if the US steps back abruptly and prematurely, we almost certainly leave their critical capabilities intact.
And those are not risks that I'm willing to take. But the answer is not a blank check for another endless war," Murkowski added.
