Iran has delivered its response to the latest U.S. amendments to a draft plan aimed at ending the war, a regional source confirmed to Axios.
Diplomatic Signals Amid Tensions
The Iranian response indicates that diplomacy is not entirely frozen, despite escalating tensions. This comes as President Trump maintains a U.S. naval blockade and explores new military actions against Iran.
Iranian state media also reported on the response, which was delivered to the U.S. on Thursday via Pakistani mediators.
Key Developments in the Draft Peace Plan
Last weekend, Iran proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the war, with nuclear negotiations deferred to a later stage.
On Monday, White House envoy Steve Witkoff sent a list of amendments to the draft plan. These amendments prioritize reinserting the nuclear issue into the text, according to a source with knowledge of the discussions.
The source revealed that one amendment demands Iran commit to not moving any enriched uranium out of its bombed nuclear facilities or restarting activities at those sites during ongoing negotiations.
Statements from President Trump
"Nobody knows what the talks are except myself and a couple of other people. They want to make a deal badly. We have a problem because nobody knows for sure who the leaders are. It's a little bit of a problem," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday.
The Iranians claim that Trump is the one desperate for a deal. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Behind-the-Scenes Discussions
On Thursday afternoon, Trump met with his top national security team for approximately 45 minutes in the White House Situation Room. Attendees included:
- Vice President Vance
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio
- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe
- Steve Witkoff
Additionally, CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine briefed Trump and his team on new plans for potential military action against Iran, according to two U.S. officials.
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