Tehran, May 9 — Iran said on Saturday it is still examining a U.S. proposal linked to efforts to end the West Asia conflict and will respond “at the appropriate time,” Al Jazeera reported.
Expectations had grown that Tehran would reply on Friday after U.S. officials indicated Washington anticipated an answer. But Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the document remains under review and dismissed U.S. pressure over timetables.
“The deadlines set by American politicians mean nothing; we do our own work, and we do not concern ourselves with deadlines or ultimatums,” Baghaei was quoted as saying.
Al Jazeera reported the delay stems in part from the proposal’s technical complexity: Iranian negotiators are reportedly scrutinizing each provision before finalizing a response. The report added that several domestic bodies and senior officials must sign off before any reply is sent.
Authorities involved in the process are said to include Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, which handles major security issues related to the conflict. Ultimately, the Supreme Leader would need to approve the final response, the report said.
Despite the ongoing internal review, Iranian officials have maintained that discussions are continuing.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration expected a response from Iran later in the day to Washington’s proposal aimed at ending the conflict. Speaking to reporters before traveling to an event at his Virginia golf course, Trump said, “We’ll hear from them supposedly tonight,” when asked whether a reply had been received.
Pressed on whether Iran might be intentionally delaying, Trump said he was unsure and added, “We’ll find out soon enough.”
The president’s remarks followed comments by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said Washington hoped to receive an Iranian response on Friday and that it would be “a serious offer.” Rubio told reporters in Rome that Iran’s internal divisions and a dysfunctional system could be affecting the timeline.
Rubio, on a diplomatic trip to Italy and the Vatican amid tensions between the U.S. and Europe, said as of that hour Washington had not received Iran’s reply and said officials hoped any response would open “a serious process of negotiation.”
Responding to questions about descriptions of the proposal as a “one-page” offer, Trump rejected that label and portrayed the plan as broader. “Well, it’s more than a one-page offer. It’s an offer that basically said they will not have nuclear weapons; they are going to hand us the nuclear dust and many other things that we want,” he said.
When asked whether Iran’s leaders had agreed to such terms, Trump cautioned that verbal agreement does not always amount to a durable settlement. “They have agreed. When they agree, it doesn’t mean much because the next day they forget they agreed,” he said, adding, “And you know, we’re dealing with different sets of leaders.”
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