Iran is reviewing a US proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict, according to Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency.
Citing Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, Tasnim reported that Tehran's response remains “under review”.
Baghaei said Iran would communicate its final position through mediator Pakistan after completing internal consultations, even as Donald Trump renewed calls for an end to the conflict and warned of intensified military action if negotiations fail.
Speaking in Rome, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington expects a response from Iran on Friday regarding the proposal.
“We'll see what the response entails. The hope is it's something that can put us into a serious process of negotiation,” Rubio told reporters.
According to Fox News, Rubio also raised concerns over reports that Iran could seek to control maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We've seen the reporting overnight that Iran has established or trying to establish some agency that's going to control traffic in the Straits… That would actually be unacceptable,” Rubio said.
He also issued a sharp warning over any direct threat to US forces.
“The red line is clear — if they threaten Americans, they're going to get blown up,” Rubio said.
In remarks defending US military action, Rubio added: “If you were a missile launching guy, whatever they call that job, and you're sitting there and you fire a missile at the United States and we saw you fire it, we're going to hit you. Of course we are. Who doesn't do that?”
“Only stupid countries don't shoot back when you're shot at. And we're not a stupid country,” he said.
Rubio further claimed that US naval assets had come under attack from Iranian forces.
“What you saw yesterday was U.S. destroyers moving through international waters, being fired upon by the Iranians. And the US responded defensively to protect itself. That's what you saw.”
“Of course, we fired back at them. They were shooting at us. That's what I would expect to do,” he added.
Earlier, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the US of repeatedly undermining diplomatic efforts in favour of military escalation, without elaborating further.
“Is it a crude pressure tactic? Or the result of a spoiler once again duping POTUS into another quagmire?” Araghchi wrote in a post on X.
“Whatever the causes, outcome is the same: Iranians never bow to pressure,” he added.
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