WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) – Iran’s response to a U.S. peace proposal aimed at ending the war in the Middle East is expected on Friday, according to a source briefed on the matter.
U.S. President Donald Trump and top White House officials have been told via interlocutors to expect Iran’s counter-proposal then, the source said.
The war, which began when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, has spread across the Middle East.
Iran had been reviewing a 15-point proposal, sent via Pakistan, that included demands ranging from dismantling Iran’s nuclear program to curbing its missile development and effectively handing over control of the Strait of Hormuz, according to sources and reports.
Iran has expressed willingness to talk about certain things in an exchange of messages, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters after a G7 meeting in France on Friday.
“We’re waiting for further clarification about who it is that we would be talking to, what we would be talking about, and when will we be talking,” Rubio said. “It could happen in any moment. It could happen today. Could happen tomorrow.”
An Iranian official told Reuters on Thursday that senior officials had reviewed the proposal and felt it served only U.S. and Israeli interests. But the official said diplomacy had not ended.
CBS News first reported that the Iranian response was expected by Friday.
(Reporting by Steve Holland; Writing by Ryan Patrick Jones; Editing by David Ljunggren, Rod Nickel)
