The US has drafted a 15-point peace plan to end the war with Iran, delivered via Pakistan, but specific details and stakeholder buy-in remain unclear.
President Trump claims negotiations are ongoing, involving US senators Marco Rubio and J.D. Vance, and that Iran has offered a "present worth a tremendous amount of money" as good faith.
Iran publicly denies talks but, per sources, demands legally binding guarantees against future US and Israeli attacks, billions in reparations, sanctions relief, and US military withdrawal from the region.
Key Iranian figures potentially involved are Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, with Ghalibaf denying talks but calling for punishment of aggressors.
Iran seeks to formalize control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit chokepoint, as part of any deal.
Military tensions persist: Israel continues intense attacks, the US is sending 2000 additional troops to the region, and Iran maintains its grip on strategic areas.
Trump asserts the war is "won" and Iran has no military capacity left, but Iranian sources claim survival and that Trump "blinked first."
Significant uncertainty exists over who exactly is negotiating on the Iranian side and whether the peace plan has substantive backing from Iran or Israel.
The diplomatic front shows mixed messages, with simultaneous troop buildups and negotiation claims, complicating the path to a near-term resolution.