Iran says it has responded to latest US peace proposal as talks continue through Pakistani mediator

Iran says it has responded to a new US proposal aimed at ending the war, with exchanges continuing through a Pakistani mediator. The development comes as Washington and Tehran continue a negotiation process that has so far produced only one round of talks and has taken place under a fragile ceasefire in force since 8 April. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the concerns of the Iranian side had been conveyed to the American side, but he did not give details of the reply.

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Baqaei said the discussions were still under way through the Pakistani mediator, indicating that the two sides have not yet reached a final position. He defended Iran's demands for the release of frozen assets abroad and the lifting of long-standing sanctions. He also reiterated Tehran's call for war reparations, describing the conflict as illegal and baseless.

Baqaei added that Iran was fully prepared for any eventuality, signalling that the diplomatic track remains closely tied to the risk of renewed confrontation. The talks matter because they are taking place after a conflict that began on 28 February and has already involved a ceasefire that remains fragile. The dispute is not only about ending hostilities, but also about the terms of any wider settlement, including sanctions relief, frozen Iranian funds and compensation for war damage.

Those issues are central to whether the negotiations can move beyond exchanges of proposals and into a formal agreement. The fact that the process is being mediated rather than handled directly also suggests that trust between the two sides remains limited. Iranian media reports have added detail to the latest round of bargaining, although the claims have not been independently confirmed in the supplied material.

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One report said Washington had presented a five-point list that would leave Iran with only one nuclear site in operation and require it to transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to the United States. The same report said the US had refused to release even a quarter of Iran's frozen assets or pay reparations for war damage. Another Iranian outlet said the United States was seeking concessions it had failed to obtain during the war, which would lead to an impasse.

The earlier Iranian proposal, sent last week, called for an end to the war on all fronts, including Israel's campaign in Lebanon, and for a halt to a US naval blockade on Iranian ports in place since 13 April. It also demanded the lifting of all US sanctions and the release of frozen assets abroad. Iranian reporting said that proposal stressed Tehran would continue to manage the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a major energy route that has been largely kept closed since the start of the conflict.

Those points show that the negotiations extend beyond a bilateral ceasefire and touch on regional security and energy flows. What remains unclear is whether the latest Iranian response narrows the gap between the two sides or simply restates long-standing positions. There has been no public confirmation of any breakthrough, and the content of the new US proposal has not been officially released in full.

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