Iran Says it Received U.S. Response to War Proposal

Iranian officials announced Wednesday they have received an official response from the United States to Tehran's latest proposal aimed at ending the seven-month war. The development follows U.S. President Donald Trump's public rejection of Iran's offer just days prior.

Details regarding the content of the U.S. response were not immediately disclosed, leaving uncertainty about whether it constitutes an acceptance or a rejection. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi presented the U.S. response to President Masoud Pezeshkian during a Cabinet meeting, according to government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani, who spoke to the state-run IRNA news agency.

"We will make every effort to bring the agreement to fruition and will firmly stand up for the rights of the Iranian people," Pezeshkian stated. "The agreement must now be based on a win-win strategy."

The Cabinet meeting took place after Araghchi's return from New York, where he attended the U.N. General Assembly. During his trip, Iranian officials engaged in indirect talks with U.S. counterparts and met with Qatari and Pakistani mediators on the sidelines of the event. Araghchi and his delegation reportedly departed New York earlier than planned at the direction of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to two U.S. officials speaking on condition of anonymity.

Araghchi briefed the Cabinet on his trip, including discussions about Iran's conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Mohajerani indicated these conditions were conveyed through mediators.

Last week, Araghchi had outlined Iran's proposal, which included reopening the Strait of Hormuz within a week if the U.S. agreed to lift its blockade of Iranian ports, release frozen Iranian assets, and waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales, among other demands. President Trump had quickly rejected this proposal, characterizing Iran's offer as unacceptable and stemming from a position of weakness.

Despite Trump's public dismissal, mediators reportedly continued to work with both Iran and the U.S. in an effort to broker a deal to end the conflict and open the strategic waterway.

In parallel, the U.S. Treasury Department announced new sanctions Tuesday targeting individuals and companies accused of facilitating Iran's military supply chain as part of "Operation Economic Outcast." The action aims to cut off "critical financial lifelines" for the Iranian government. Ten individuals and entities in Iran, Hong Kong, and Pakistan were sanctioned for allegedly procuring weapons and components for Iran's defense ministry.

Iran's economy, already under strain, has faced a significant downturn since the conflict began in late February. The nation's currency fell to a record low on Tuesday, with over 2.5 million rials trading for one U.S. dollar in Tehran, reflecting the war's impact on the Iranian economy. This decline followed a previous record low set just 27 days earlier.

President Trump remarked Wednesday that the situation would end "very soon, one way or the other," and threatened to "blow them up" if a deal is not reached. He had previously predicted the war would last only weeks and more recently suggested it would extend beyond the U.S. midterm elections.

The war's economic toll has been severe. Medication prices have surged in Iran, with some treatments becoming scarce. Prices for food and other essential goods have also risen sharply, contributing to increased unemployment and the currency's devaluation.

In separate developments Wednesday, Iran executed two men for their alleged involvement in violence during nationwide anti-government protests in January, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. The judiciary reported the men participated in unrest in Mashhad that resulted in the deaths of four security force members. Their death sentences were upheld by Iran's Supreme Court.