Tehran [Iran], May 9 (ANI): Iran on Saturday said it was still reviewing the United States’ proposal linked to ongoing negotiations over the West Asia conflict and would respond “at the appropriate time”, according to a report by Al Jazeera.
The report said expectations had grown that Tehran would issue a response on Friday after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that Washington was expecting an answer from Iran.
However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the proposal remains under review and dismissed pressure from Washington over deadlines.
“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.
According to Al Jazeera, one reason behind the delay is the highly technical nature of the proposal, with Iranian negotiators closely examining every provision in the document before finalising a response.
The report added that several Iranian institutions and senior officials must also approve the response before it can be finalised.
The negotiating process reportedly involves Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, which oversees major security matters, including the ongoing conflict.
Al Jazeera further reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader would ultimately have to approve the final response before it is delivered to Washington.
Despite the delay, Iranian officials have maintained that discussions are ongoing and that the proposal is still being examined internally.
Earlier on Friday (local time), US President Donald Trump said that his administration is expecting a response from Iran later in the day regarding Washington’s proposal aimed at ending the ongoing West Asia conflict.
Speaking to reporters before travelling to a dinner at his golf course in Sterling, Virginia, Trump said, “We’ll hear from them supposedly tonight,” when asked whether Washington had received any response from Tehran.
When pressed on whether he believed Iran was intentionally delaying the process, Trump said he was uncertain, adding, “We’ll find out soon enough.”
His remarks came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was anticipating an Iranian response on Friday to the proposal aimed at ending the conflict, while expressing hope that it would be “a serious offer”.
“We should know something today,” Rubio told reporters during a gaggle in Rome.
Rubio is currently on a diplomatic tour to Italy and the Vatican amid tension in the transatlantic relations between the US and Europe.
“We have not received that yet, as of the last hour,” Rubio said, adding that Iran’s internal situation could be affecting the timeline.
“Their system is still highly fractured, and it’s dysfunctional as well, so that may be serving as an impediment,” he added.
Rubio also said Washington hoped the Iranian response would lead to “a serious process of negotiation”.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Trump, responding to enquiries regarding whether Iran had engaged with what some had termed a “one-page proposal”, Trump challenged that description of the document.
“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,” Trump said.
When questioned on whether the Iranian leadership had consented to these terms, Trump indicated that a verbal agreement does not necessarily signal a definitive resolution.
“They have agreed. When they agree, it doesn’t mean much because the next day they forget they agreed,” he said, further noting, “And you know, we’re dealing with different sets of leaders.” (ANI)