TEHRAN (Web Desk) – Iran has received an official response from the United States to its latest proposal aimed at ending the seven-month war, Iranian officials said Wednesday, but Tehran has not disclosed whether Washington accepted, rejected or sought changes to the offer.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi presented the US response to President Masoud Pezeshkian during a Cabinet meeting, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.
The development came days after US President Donald Trump publicly rejected an Iranian proposal that included conditions for reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. Despite Washington’s public rejection, diplomatic contacts involving Iran, the United States and mediators have continued.
Pezeshkian said Iran would continue working to achieve an agreement while insisting that any eventual settlement must protect what Tehran considers the rights and interests of the Iranian people.
“We will make every effort to bring the agreement to fruition and will firmly stand up for the rights of the Iranian people,” Pezeshkian said, according to IRNA. He added that any agreement should be based on a “win-win strategy.”
Araghchi briefs Cabinet on New York talks
Araghchi returned to Iran after travelling to New York for the United Nations General Assembly last week, where Iranian representatives engaged in indirect discussions with US officials.
The Iranian foreign minister also held meetings with Qatari and Pakistani mediators on the sidelines of the annual gathering, as diplomatic efforts intensified over the conflict.
According to Mohajerani, Araghchi briefed the Cabinet on his meetings and conveyed details concerning Iran’s conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz through the mediators.
The waterway has become a central issue in negotiations because of its importance to global energy supplies and international shipping.
Iran has previously said it would be prepared to reopen the strait within a week if the United States agreed to lift its blockade of Iranian ports, release frozen Iranian assets and waive sanctions affecting Iranian oil sales. Tehran also attached other conditions to the proposal.
Trump had rejected Iranian proposal
Trump publicly dismissed Iran’s latest offer earlier this week, saying it would not be acceptable. He also said Iran was seeking an agreement because of the pressure it was facing during the conflict.
However, officials familiar with the diplomatic process have indicated that mediators have continued efforts to find common ground between the two sides.
The latest exchange of proposals suggests that diplomatic channels remain active despite public disagreements between Washington and Tehran.
The US administration has simultaneously continued its economic pressure campaign against Iran.
Washington announces fresh sanctions
The US Treasury Department announced new sanctions on Tuesday against individuals and companies accused of helping Iran obtain military equipment and components.
The measures reportedly targeted 10 individuals and entities based in Iran, Hong Kong and Pakistan. Washington accused them of acting as financial facilitators or procurement networks supporting Iran’s defence sector.
The sanctions form part of a broader US campaign designed to restrict Iran’s access to international financial and commercial networks.
Iran has repeatedly condemned US sanctions, arguing that they have contributed to economic hardship and placed additional pressure on its population.
Iranian currency hits another record low
The diplomatic developments have unfolded as Iran faces severe economic pressure.
The Iranian rial reached another record low on Tuesday, with traders in Tehran reportedly exchanging more than 2.5 million rials for one US dollar.
The latest fall came only 27 days after the currency had reached a previous record low of around 2.2 million rials per dollar on Sept. 2.
The continued depreciation has added to concerns over inflation, purchasing power and economic stability in Iran.
Iran’s economy was already under significant pressure before the war began, while the conflict and continuing sanctions have further complicated the country’s economic situation.
Trump said Tuesday that Iran was “failing very badly” and again predicted that the conflict would end soon. His earlier predictions that the war would last only several weeks have not materialised, while he has more recently indicated that the fighting could continue beyond the US midterm elections scheduled for Nov. 3.
Executions reported amid continuing unrest
Separately, Iran’s state-run IRNA reported Wednesday that two men had been executed over their alleged involvement in violence during nationwide anti-government protests earlier this year.
According to Iranian judicial authorities cited by IRNA, the two men were involved in unrest in the northeastern city of Mashhad, where four members of the security forces were killed.
Their death sentences had reportedly been upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court before the executions were carried out.
The protests began in late December amid public anger over the weakening currency and deteriorating economic conditions before spreading to other parts of the country.
Iranian authorities launched a crackdown, while rights organisations have reported casualty and arrest figures considerably higher than those provided by the government.
For now, the contents of the latest US response to Iran remain undisclosed. The next steps by Tehran, Washington and the mediators could determine whether the latest diplomatic effort develops into a broader framework for ending the conflict and addressing the dispute over the Strait of Hormuz.
