Iran Expected to Respond to U.S. Peace Proposal on Thursday
Iran is preparing to hand over its formal response to the U.S. proposal to end the war by Thursday, after Secretary of State Rubio declared the military phase "concluded" and said Washington now seeks a memorandum of understanding. The response could mark a critical turning point in negotiations.
Mediation Process
Iran is expected to hand over its reply Thursday to mediators about the US proposal to end the war, a regional source told CNN. President Donald Trump said the US has had "very good talks" with Iran over the past 24 hours.
U.S. Position Shift
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that Operation Epic Fury, the air and naval campaign launched on February 28, was "concluded". What Washington now sought, he said, was a "memorandum of understanding for future negotiations".
Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is possible under "new procedures," Iranian media reported. About 1,600 ships are still stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, with shipping companies facing an expensive and risky situation. President Donald Trump's operation to "guide" ships through the strait lasted just 48 hours. Only two ships were guided through.
Regional Interests
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has met his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing as tensions with the United States mount over the Strait of Hormuz. Araghchi's visit on Wednesday comes a week before US President Donald Trump visits Beijing for a summit with President Xi Jinping on May 14 and 15.