Politics Trump is waiting: How will Iran react to the US proposal?
After the recent military confrontations, the US and Iran appear to be playing the diplomatic card again.
09.05.2026, 05:42
SDA
The government in Washington is waiting for Tehran's response to a US proposal for an end to the Iran war. According to the "Wall Street Journal", talks between the conflicting parties mediated by Pakistan could take place again in Islamabad as early as next week. Plans for further rounds of talks in the Pakistani capital have recently failed several times.
US President Donald Trump said in Washington on Friday evening (local time) that his administration expected to hear back from Iran that same evening. When asked whether the Iranians were delaying the negotiations, Trump replied: "We'll find out soon." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had previously said that he was awaiting Iran's response and hoped that it would be a serious offer. Iran's government announced a few days ago that it was examining a proposal from the USA.
On Thursday, Iran and the USA attacked each other again despite a ceasefire: Iran attacked US military ships in the Strait of Hormuz with missiles and speedboats, while the US attacked targets on the Iranian mainland. Under threat, Trump called on Tehran to sign a peace agreement "quickly". However, the ceasefire remains in place despite the attacks. The Iranian military declared the fighting to be over on Friday evening. "After a period of mutual shelling, the fighting has stopped and the situation is calm," the Iranian news agency Tasnim quoted an unnamed military source as saying.
Declaration to create framework for 30-day negotiations
The White House is currently waiting for a reaction from Iran to the proposal for a 14-point declaration of intent. One of its aims is to create a framework for an initial 30 days of negotiations to end the war. According to media reports, an easing of US sanctions and agreements on the future of the Strait of Hormuz are also being discussed. In addition, a basis for negotiations on Iran's controversial nuclear program is to be created.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Iran is said to have shown itself open to discussing its nuclear program for the first time. The newspaper also reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that the declaration also provides for Iran to loosen its control over the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. In return, the USA would reduce its blockade of Iranian ports during the 30-day talks. Should these negotiations make progress, the one-month period could be extended by mutual agreement.
Qatar admonishes warring parties: negotiations as an opportunity for peace
Meanwhile, Qatar called on all warring parties to engage in mediation efforts. This was emphasized by Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at a meeting with US Vice President JD Vance in Washington, as the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced on Platform X. The negotiations could lead to a comprehensive agreement for lasting peace in the region, it added.
Pakistan is officially mediating in the Iran war, while Qatar tends to act in the background. Representatives of Qatar are an important unofficial channel between the USA and Iran, reported the US news portal Axios. The Qataris also use their contacts with high-ranking generals of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, Iran's elite military force.
New US attacks on ships
On Friday, the regional command (Centcom) of the US armed forces responsible for the Middle East announced on Platform X that the military had once again attacked and disabled unladen oil tankers sailing under the Iranian flag. Two such ships had attempted to call at an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman. Shots were fired from a US fighter plane to prevent the ships from breaking the US naval blockade, it was reported.
The US military is currently preventing more than 70 tankers from entering or leaving Iranian ports, it added. These merchant ships have the capacity to transport Iranian oil worth an estimated 13 billion US dollars (more than 11 billion euros). In addition, more than 50 ships had been diverted in order to maintain the blockade.
A ceasefire in the Iran war has been in place for just over a month. However, military tensions remain high.
