Trump says expecting Iran's response to latest US proposal tonight

Donald Trump said he expected to hear from Iran by Friday night on Washington's latest proposal to end the war, even as Tehran indicated it had not yet finalised its response and was still reviewing messages sent by the Americans through Pakistani mediators.

In Short

• Trump said he expected Iran’s response to Washington’s proposal by tonight
• The proposal seeks to end the conflict and reopen Hormuz
• He said a letter was expected before leaving the White House

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he expected to hear from Iran by the night on Washington’s latest proposal aimed at ending the war, even as Tehran indicated it was still reviewing the offer and had not yet finalised its response.

“I’m getting a letter supposedly tonight. So we’ll see how that goes,” Trump told reporters outside the White House before departing for his golf course in Sterling, Virginia. When asked if Iran was intentionally slowing the process, Trump replied: “We’ll find out soon enough.”

According to CNN, citing Iranian media, Iran is still reviewing “messages” sent by the United States through Pakistani mediators and has not yet reached a final decision on the proposal.

The proposed agreement is a one-page, 14-point memorandum designed to halt the conflict and open formal negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Under the plan, Iran could pause nuclear enrichment activities, while the United States may ease sanctions and release billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets.

The proposal also reportedly includes steps by both sides to reduce restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route that has remained at the centre of recent military tensions. The agreement would begin with a 30-day negotiation period intended to pave the way for a broader long-term deal.

FRESH TENSIONS IN HORMUZ

The diplomatic push comes amid continued military friction in and around the Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian military source warned that clashes could resume if the United States interferes again with Iranian vessels in the region. While describing the current situation as “calm”, the source said there remained “a possibility of re-entering such conflicts” if US forces attempted to disrupt Iranian ships, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency.

Iran’s Fars news agency earlier reported “sporadic clashes” between Iranian forces and US naval ships in the strategic waterway. The escalation followed statements from US Central Command (CENTCOM), which said American forces struck two empty Iranian-flagged oil tankers allegedly attempting to breach an ongoing US blockade by entering an Iranian port through the Gulf of Oman.

CENTCOM also said US forces carried out strikes on Iranian military targets after Tehran’s forces attacked three American destroyers transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. “US forces intercepted unprovoked Iranian attacks and responded with self-defense strikes as US Navy guided-missile destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz to the Gulf of Oman,” CENTCOM said.

Iran’s central military command, however, accused Washington of violating the ceasefire.

TRUMP WARNS IRAN

Following the strikes, Trump issued a sharp warning to Tehran on Truth Social, cautioning Iran against further escalation and urging it to quickly sign a deal with Washington.

“We’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST!” Trump wrote.

At the same time, Trump insisted in an interview with ABC News that the ceasefire with Iran remained intact, while describing the latest US strikes as merely a “love tap”.

- Ends