Iran says the U.S.'s latest proposal has 'narrowed the gaps'

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Or sign-in if you have an account.A sign protesting the Iran war and its impact on gas prices is seen during a protest organized by VoteVets outside of the U.S. Capitol on May 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. Photo by Kevin Dietsch /Getty ImagesIran said the latest proposal from the US has partly bridged the gap between the warring sides, as they seek to turn a fragile ceasefire into a peace deal.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorTehran is in the process of responding to a text submitted by the US, which “has narrowed the gaps to some extent,” the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency reported on Thursday, without saying where it got the information. “Further narrowing requires an end to the temptation for war on Washington’s part.”The exchange of messages is based on Iran’s 14-point text from several weeks ago, the Iranian foreign ministry said separately. That plan essentially suggests a short-term deal that would see Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the US lift a blockade of Iranian ports, with the warring sides then going into deeper negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program. U.S. President Donald Trump returns to the White House on May 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. Photo by Kevin Dietsch /Getty ImagesColumnist Jesse Kline keeps you up to date with what’s happening in Israel and the effects of antisemitism on life here in Canada. Friday mornings.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Channel Israel will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againIran gave no indication of when it would formally answer the US. The Iranian foreign ministry reiterated it wants a commitment that fighting will end “on all fronts, including Lebanon.” It also called for the unfreezing of sanctioned assets.Field Marshal Asim Munir, who has positioned himself as the most powerful person in Pakistan, is visiting Tehran on Thursday, ISNA reported. Islamabad is the main mediator between the sides.The developments follow renewed threats of escalation between the US and Iran as their stand-off drags on.US President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday that the US was in the “final stages” with Iranian diplomacy, sparking investor hopes a deal was close. US Treasury prices jumped and oil dropped.But the president then warned he may resume attacks in the coming days if Iran didn’t agree to his terms, a threat he has made multiple times since a ceasefire took effect on April 8. A woman holds a placard with photos of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and his predecessor and late father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during an anti-U.S. and Israel protest at the Hafte Tir Square in Tehran on May 17, 2026. Photo by AFP Contributor#AFP /AFP via Getty Images“We’ll either have a deal or we’re going to do some things that are a little bit nasty,” he said. “But hopefully that won’t happen.”Key sticking points between the sides include Iran’s nuclear enrichment and its stocks of highly-processed uranium. The US is demanding Tehran hands over the latter, due to fears Tehran may use it to build an atomic bomb, and commits to ending enrichment for at least a decade. Iranian leaders have balked at those in public.Reuters, on Thursday, reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had issued a directive that the country’s near-weapons-grade uranium should not be sent abroad. Reuters cited two unnamed Iranian people familiar with the matter.Iran has consistently rejected calls to ship the enriched-uranium stockpile to the US, but has indicated it could move it to a third country. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi last week thanked Russia, a key ally to Tehran and a party to the last Iran nuclear deal in 2015, for its offer to take the material, while cautioning that the idea wasn’t currently under discussion. Marine One, with U.S. President Donald Trump on board, lands on the South Lawn of the White House on May 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. Photo by Kevin Dietsch /Getty ImagesOil reversed losses after the Reuters report, rising 2$ to $107 a barrel. The benchmark is up 45% since the conflict began.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian insisted the country was not on the brink of giving in. “Forcing Iran to surrender through coercion is nothing but an illusion,” he posted on X on Wednesday.Another point of contention is Lebanon, where Israel — whose attacks on Iran alongside the US started the war in late February — is fighting Tehran-backed Hezbollah militants. Israel has resisted the idea of pulling its troops out the Arab country. A ceasefire on that front is fragile, with Israel and Hezbollah continuing attacks daily.Axios, citing unnamed sources, reported that Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a tense call on Tuesday. It didn’t give details on what the US leader told Netanyahu, who has said he doesn’t trust Iran to abide by any peace deal and has signaled that strikes on the Islamic Republic must resume at some point. Israel argues that that Iran’s military should be degraded further. An auto rickshaw carrying a poster featuring U.S. President Donald Trump moves along a road on May 15, 2026 in Delhi, India. Photo by Ritesh Shukla /Getty ImagesThe report came shortly after Trump told reporters that Netanyahu would “do whatever I want him to do.”Israel’s energy minister, Eli Cohen, said there would be no “sacred cow” in Iran if fighting restarted.“The next stage will entail hitting economic targets, energy sites – oil, gas and power stations,” he said to Kim Baram radio on Wednesday.Earlier, Iran warned it would retaliate beyond the Middle East if the US or Israel renewed hostilities.“If aggression against Iran is repeated, the regional war that had been promised will this time extend beyond the region,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The IRGC, which has gained even more influence over Iranian decision-making since the war erupted, vowed “crushing blows in places you do not expect.”—With assistance from Dan Williams.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.