TEHRAN, Iran: Iran is still reviewing a 15-point US proposal to end the war in the Middle East, despite an initial response that was negative, a senior Iranian official, cited by Reuters, said on Wednesday.
The apparent delay in delivering a formal response to Pakistan, which delivered a 15-point proposal on behalf of Washington, appeared to signal that Tehran is considering the proposal to end the war.
The senior Iranian official’s comments that the proposal was still under review – though the initial response was “not positive” – appeared to contradict a report by Iran’s Press TV that cited an unidentified official as saying Iran had rejected it.
A senior Pakistani security official, cited by Reuters, said that Pakistan had followed up with Iran’s foreign minister and was still awaiting a formal reply from Tehran.
“The Iranians told us they will get back to us tonight. The media is reporting that they have said no. But we have not received any official confirmation from Iran. So we are just waiting. They are all underground, and communication is a big challenge,” a second Pakistani official said as quoted by Reuters.
Another senior Iranian official had earlier confirmed that Tehran had received a proposal and said that talks, if they went ahead, could be held in either Pakistan or Turkiye.
The senior Pakistani security official, cited by Reuters, said Pakistani intelligence had delivered the US proposal to Iran, and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had followed up with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
So far, there had been no response from the Iranians or any confirmed dates or venue for talks, the Pakistani official said.
Three Israeli cabinet sources, cited by Reuters, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet had been briefed on the US proposal.
They said its terms included removing Iran’s stocks of enriched uranium, halting enrichment, and curbing its ballistic missile programme.
US conveys proposal to Iran via Pakistan
Earlier, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that proposals from Washington had been conveyed through Pakistan.
Pakistan has offered to host talks, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stating Islamabad was ready to facilitate “meaningful and conclusive” negotiations if both sides agree.
Pakistan welcomes and fully supports ongoing efforts to pursue dialogue to end the WAR in Middle East, in the interest of peace and stability in region and beyond. Subject to concurrence by the US and Iran, Pakistan stands ready and honoured to be the host to facilitate…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) March 24, 2026
US proposal offers sanctions relief to Iran
Several Middle Eastern officials, cited by The Washington Post, said the US plan offered sanctions relief to Iran in return for the removal of all its enriched uranium material and abandonment of enrichment processing capabilities, limits to Tehran’s ballistic missile programme, and the cessation of support to groups in the region, including Hezbollah, the Houthis and Hamas.
Pakistan’s offer to host indirect talks between the US and Iran appeared to edge closer to reality on Wednesday, after Iran confirmed it was engaging in discussions with its neighbours but not directly with the United States.
In a televised interview late Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baqaei, said that Pakistan was among the “many countries” to have approached Iran with offers to mediate.
“There have been messages going around for some days. We have received messages requesting a sort of negotiation. We have responded to those messages,” he said.
Baqaei praised Islamabad for its “good intentions” and said that Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has been in contact with his Pakistani counterpart.
Syed Muhammad Ali, a Pakistani security analyst with knowledge of the negotiations and cited by The Washington Post, said in a phone interview on Wednesday that Islamabad’s political and military leadership was facilitating indirect talks between the US and Iran.
“There has been significant and rapid progress in these indirect talks between the United States and Iran,” Muhammad Ali said as quoted by The Washington Post.
He said that the talks were being facilitated by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, among others.
Iran terms US proposal ‘excessive’
Earlier, Iran’s Press TV cited a senior official as saying that Iran has reviewed the US proposal and considers its conditions excessive. The official said Tehran will end the war only at a time of its own choosing and if its conditions are met.
Tehran had responded negatively to a US initiative, an Iranian official, cited by Press TV, said. “Iran has responded negatively” to the proposal, the official said, adding that any end to the war would occur only “on Tehran’s own terms and timeline.”
Iran has responded negatively to an American proposal aimed at ending the ongoing imposed war, insisting that any cessation of hostilities will only occur on Tehran's own terms and timeline, a senior political-security official told Press TV on Wednesday.https://t.co/2foRQj5kJw
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) March 25, 2026
Iran’s conditions for ending the war
A senior political-security official, cited by Press TV today, said that Iran will not allow Trump to determine the timing of the war’s end.
🔴 Official: Iran will end the war at a time of own choosing, only if its own conditions are met
🔺 Official: Iran not to allow Donald Trump to dictate the timing of the war's end pic.twitter.com/0EdmRg01cR
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) March 25, 2026
According to the official, the United States has, through various diplomatic channels, requested negotiations with Iran and has put forward proposals that are excessive and inconsistent with reality.
Iran’s conditions highlighted by the official and shared by Press TV on X include:
- “The enemy’s aggression and acts of assassination come to an end.”
- “Objective conditions are established to ensure that the war will not recur.”
- “The payment of damages and war reparations is guaranteed and clearly determined.”
- “The end of the war is implemented across all fronts and for all resistance groups involved in this conflict throughout the region.”
- “Iran’s exercise of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz is its natural and legal right, and guarantees for the implementation of the other party’s commitments must be recognised.”
These conditions are separate from the demands Iran presented to the other side during the second round of negotiations in Geneva, the official said.
Iran has informed all mediators acting in good faith that a ceasefire will only take place once its conditions are accepted; until then, no negotiations will be conducted, the official said, as cited by Press TV.
Conflicting signals on negotiations
Earlier, Iranian officials denied that any formal negotiations were underway.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Beghaei said there were “no talks or negotiations between Iran and the United States”, describing earlier diplomatic efforts as a “betrayal of diplomacy”.
Meanwhile, Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for Iran’s joint military command, said on state television that Iran would never reach an agreement with Washington.
“People like us can never get along with people like you,” he said in remarks directed at Trump.
Details of the US proposal remain unclear, but sources cited by Reuters and other media said it could include halting uranium enrichment, curbing Iran’s missile programme, and ending support for regional allies.
US, Iran both claim victory
On Wednesday, the US and Iran both claimed victory in their ongoing conflict.
Trump said that Tehran’s forces had been defeated, while Iranian officials insisted Washington had failed in its objectives.
The US President said the war against Iran “has been won,” claiming Iranian military capabilities have been “totally defeated” and “incapacitated.”
Speaking from the Oval Office, he stated that Washington had achieved key objectives, including preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and reshaping the country’s leadership structure.
Trump also dismissed reports of continued fighting as “fake news,” describing remaining activity as limited “military operations” rather than an active war.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials rejected the US narrative, instead describing the conflict as a failure for Washington.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: The war in Iran has been won.
The only one that likes to keep it going is the fake news. pic.twitter.com/pAYfeglpzJ
— Department of State (@StateDept) March 24, 2026
Commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters, Major General Ali Abdollahi, said the United States had been “defeated” and was now seeking assistance from other countries to exit what he described as a “quagmire.”
He said the US and its allies initiated the conflict to destabilise Iran, but miscalculated the country’s response. According to Abdollahi, Iranian forces, backed by public support, have resisted the campaign and are “advancing toward ultimate victory.”
The commander added that US leadership, having failed to achieve its objectives, is now looking for a way out of the conflict.
🎥 سخنگوی قرارگاه مرکزی خاتمالانبیا خطاب به آمریکا: سطح خوددرگیریهایتان به مرحلۀ مذاکره خودتان با خودتان رسیده؟
اسم شکستتان را توافق نگذارید. نه خبری از سرمایهگذاریهایتان در منطقه خواهد بود و نه قیمت سابق انرژی و نفت را خواهید دید. pic.twitter.com/0Zjj8wXfZR
— خبرگزاری فارس (@FarsNews_Agency) March 25, 2026
Military build-up continues
Even as diplomatic efforts continue, the United States is expanding its military presence in the region.
The Pentagon is preparing to deploy additional troops from the 82nd Airborne Division, alongside two Marine units already en route, adding to an estimated 50,000 US personnel in the Middle East.
The war, now in its fourth week, has seen continued airstrikes and missile exchanges involving Iran, Israel and US forces.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had launched new attacks targeting locations in Israel as well as US bases in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain. Regional countries reported intercepting drone attacks.
Iran has also effectively restricted access through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy corridor, allowing limited passage primarily to its own oil shipments and vessels from friendly states.
Financial markets reacted to reports of potential talks, with oil prices briefly easing before climbing back above $100 per barrel amid ongoing uncertainty.
The conflict has disrupted energy supplies and raised fears of wider regional instability, with mediators focusing on measures such as protecting energy infrastructure and reopening shipping routes.
