A woman walks past a billboard in Tehran reading “Forever in Iran’s hands” and “Trump couldn’t do a damn thing.” Photo: X
Iran is reviewing a new American proposal delivered through Pakistani mediation as diplomatic efforts to end the US-Israeli war on Iran entered their 83rd day on Thursday, May 21.
A source close to the Iranian negotiating team said Tehran had not yet responded to the latest message from Washington. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei confirmed the proposal was under review after Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited Tehran to facilitate communication between the two sides.
Baghaei said Iran’s conditions for any agreement include a complete halt to military operations, including in Lebanon, the release of frozen Iranian assets and an end to restrictions targeting Iranian commercial shipping.
According to Axios, US President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that mediators were preparing a letter of intent between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending the conflict.
Trump later said negotiations with Iran were “right on the borderline” and warned that the situation could escalate quickly if diplomacy failed. He added that the United States would wait “a few days” for Tehran’s response and made clear that sanctions relief would not be considered before a final agreement.
The US president also said Washington needed “the right answer” from Iran while describing Iranian negotiators as “reasonable people”.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that any renewed military action against the country would trigger a broader confrontation.
In a statement, the IRGC said Iran had not used all of its military capabilities during the conflict and warned that future attacks would bring severe consequences for its adversaries.
Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also warned that the United States and Israel would “regret attacking Iran again”, saying Iranian forces had rebuilt capabilities during the ceasefire period.
Trump, meanwhile, described Iran as a “defeated nation” but said he preferred avoiding further warfare if diplomacy could prevent more casualties.
Iran’s newly formed Persian Gulf Strait Authority announced the creation of a “controlled maritime zone” in the Strait of Hormuz, requiring vessels to obtain authorisation before passing through the strategic waterway.
The authority said the zone stretches from Kuh-e-Mobarak in Iran to southern Fujairah in the UAE on the eastern side of the strait, and from Qeshm Island to Umm Al Quwain on the western side.
Diplomatic sources told Al Jazeera that a draft UN Security Council resolution concerning the Strait of Hormuz had secured support from 137 countries.
The proposal, introduced by the United States and Bahrain and backed by Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait, seeks to protect international shipping lanes, commercial trade and global energy supplies.
Trump said oil shipments were expected to resume through the Strait of Hormuz soon, adding that the conflict would end “one way or the other”.
Oil prices rebounded on Thursday after recent declines as uncertainty surrounding negotiations continued to affect global markets.
Brent crude futures rose to USD 105.83 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude climbed to USD 99.23.
The US dollar weakened after reaching a six-week high as investors responded to signs that talks between Washington and Tehran were continuing.
The White House continued to issue warnings despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said Iran faced a choice between accepting US conditions or facing severe military consequences.
Speaking to Fox News, Miller said Tehran could either agree to terms satisfactory to Washington or face military action “the likes of which has not been seen in modern history”.
Trump also reiterated that military action remained an option if negotiations collapsed.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah said its fighters launched rockets and drones targeting Israeli military positions in southern Lebanon early on Thursday.
The group said attacks targeted Israeli troops and military vehicles in Debel, Rachaf and Biyyada, followed by drone strikes near Haddatha.
The exchanges highlighted continuing fears that the conflict could widen further across the region.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Trump during a phone call that he welcomed the extension of the ceasefire and believed remaining disputes could still be resolved through dialogue.
Turkey has remained engaged with Washington, Tehran and Pakistani mediators throughout the conflict in an effort to prevent further escalation.
This post was last modified on May 21, 2026 8:39 am