Iran still reviewing US proposal despite negative initial response, senior Iranian official says

Iran is still looking over a proposal from the U.S. to stop the war in the Gulf, even though the initial reaction was negative, according to a senior Iranian official who spoke to Reuters on Wednesday. This shows that Tehran has not completely dismissed the offer yet. While Iranian officials have publicly criticized the idea of negotiating with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, the delay in giving a formal answer to Pakistan—who presented a 15-point proposal on behalf of the U.S.—suggests that some leaders in Tehran might be considering it. The senior Iranian official mentioned that the proposal is still under review, despite the initial negative feedback. This statement seems to go against a report from Iran’s Press TV that claimed an unnamed official said Iran had rejected the proposal. A senior Pakistani security official noted that they had contacted Iran’s foreign minister for an update and are still waiting for an official response. Another Pakistani source added, “The Iranians told us they will respond tonight. The media says they’ve said no, but we haven’t received any official word from Iran. So we are just waiting. Communication is very difficult.” Previously, another senior Iranian official confirmed that Tehran had received the proposal and mentioned that if talks happen, they could take place in either Pakistan or Turkey. On Wednesday, oil prices dropped while shares gained some value after news that Washington sent the 15-point plan to Iran. Investors are hoping for a resolution to a conflict that has claimed many lives and disrupted global energy supplies. The senior Pakistani security official stated that Pakistani intelligence delivered the U.S. proposal to Iran, and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar followed up with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.