Iran receives US proposal, disputes sequencing of steps

Iran announced Wednesday it received a US proposal amid ongoing talks to end the war, but the main dispute between the two sides concerns the sequencing of steps. A source familiar with the talks told Reuters that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Qatari mediators in Doha Tuesday and received the US response to a proposed seven-day confidence-building plan, to discuss it in Tehran Wednesday. The source said the disagreement centers on the order of steps, not the plan's elements, which outline a return to an enhanced version of the June memorandum of understanding. The Iranian government has not disclosed its position on the US response. The proposal includes a ceasefire, release of frozen Iranian assets, and lifting the US naval blockade, with Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz within seven days. President Masoud Pezeshkian said his government will pursue a "win-win" memorandum, while US President Donald Trump said Iranians "will surrender." Axios reported Qatari mediation efforts made little progress this week, with both sides holding firm positions, increasing the likelihood of renewed military confrontation.