Tehran has formally responded to a United States proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict and reopening negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, according to Iranian state media and multiple international reports.
The Iranian response was reportedly delivered through Pakistan, which has emerged as a key intermediary in backchannel diplomacy between Washington and Tehran. Iranian officials said the current phase of negotiations should focus primarily on ending hostilities and easing tensions in the region.
US President Donald Trump, however, rejected Tehran’s latest position, calling it “totally unacceptable” amid continuing friction over the future of Iran’s uranium enrichment program and the status of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to reports, the US proposal includes a temporary 14-point memorandum designed to halt fighting, reopen shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz and launch broader negotiations on Iran’s nuclear activities. Washington is seeking a long-term freeze on uranium enrichment, removal of highly enriched uranium stockpiles and dismantling of key nuclear facilities.
Iran has reportedly opposed dismantling its nuclear infrastructure and instead proposed a narrower agreement focused on ending military action, lifting sanctions and restoring commercial navigation in the Gulf.
The Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the crisis. The strategically vital waterway, through which a major share of the world’s oil shipments passes, has faced severe disruptions for more than two months amid the conflict. Oil prices rose sharply on Sunday after Trump rejected Iran’s response and tensions in the Gulf intensified further.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington had largely achieved its military objectives in operations against Iran, but acknowledged that Tehran still retains significant quantities of enriched uranium.
Meanwhile, regional tensions remain high, with reports of drone incidents near Gulf states and continued military deployments linked to efforts to secure maritime routes through Hormuz.