(Bloomberg) — The US said it expects Iran to respond to its latest proposal to end their war imminently, as clashes in the Strait of Hormuz threatened to further fracture a monthlong ceasefire.
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Iran has still given no indication whether it will accept President Donald Trump’s plan, sent on Wednesday, which proposes that the Islamic Republic reopen the strait and the US end a blockade on Iranian ports over the next month.
Tehran’s response is “under review,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei told the semi-official Tasnim news agency, without giving a timeline.
The one-page document implies Iran’s acceptance would end the 10-week war, which has killed thousands of people across the Middle East and sent energy prices soaring, even though the two sides would still need to negotiate a deal over Iran’s nuclear program.
Oil edged higher, with investors weighing whether renewed clashes would derail the fragile ceasefire. Global benchmark Brent crude settled around $101 a barrel, but still notched a weekly drop of about 6%.
US Vice President JD Vance met with the Qatari prime minister on Friday to discuss bilateral relations and the situation in Iran, as well as regional security and stability, according to a Qatar readout of the meeting. The pair also discussed liquefied natural gas markets, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The White House and vice president’s office didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Qatar has served as a regional mediator between the US and Iran. Axios reported earlier on the meeting.
Trump faces intense domestic and international pressure to end the war, with Americans increasingly opposed to it and frustrated by soaring gasoline prices. China is among the powers amplifying calls for an immediate reopening of the strait and an end to hostilities, ahead of a scheduled summit between President Xi Jinping and Trump in Beijing next week.
Tensions worsened with a second day of clashes in the strait, with US forces carrying out airstrikes on two empty Iranian oil tankers. They were trying to break the blockade and enter one of the country’s ports, US Central Command said on Friday.
Iran said the action had violated the ceasefire agreement.







