Tehran Says It Will Respond To US Proposal 'At Appropriate Time'

Iran said on Saturday it was still reviewing the latest U.S. proposal aimed at halting hostilities, while dismissing deadlines set by Washington as regional tensions continued to simmer.

Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, said Tehran would deliver its response“at the appropriate time,” after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated Iran had been expected to respond on Friday.

Baghaei said the proposal required extensive review because of its technical complexity, adding that“every date and every word” in the text carried significant importance for Iranian negotiators.

The comments come amid reports that Mojtaba Khamenei is closely involved in overseeing both Iran's wartime strategy and ongoing negotiations with Washington.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Washington could resume its“Freedom Project” operations in the Strait of Hormuz if Tehran rejects the proposal.

The United States and Iran have been engaged in indirect negotiations in recent weeks amid efforts to prevent a wider regional conflict and secure maritime routes in the Gulf.

The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil shipping lanes, has remained at the center of tensions between Tehran and Washington, with repeated threats of military escalation affecting global energy markets.

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