Iran says 'ball in US court', but ready for talks or war

Iran said Saturday it was up to the United States whether to pursue a negotiated settlement or return to open conflict, as a senior Iranian military officer warned that renewed fighting was "likely" and peace talks remained frozen.

Tehran delivered a draft proposal to mediator Pakistan on Thursday, but President Donald Trump said he was "not satisfied" with what Iran was offering.

What did Iran say about the choice between diplomacy and war?

Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told diplomats in Tehran that Washington faces a clear choice.

"Now the ball is in the United States' court to choose the path of diplomacy or the continuation of a confrontational approach," he said, according to state broadcaster IRIB. "Iran, with the aim of securing its national interests and security, is prepared for both paths," he added.

Why does Iran say renewed conflict with the US is likely?

Hours later, Mohammad Jafar Asadi, a senior figure in Iran's military central command, said renewed conflict was likely based on what he described as a consistent pattern of the U.S. failing to honor commitments. Asadi, cited by Iran's Fars news agency, said Washington had shown it was "not committed to any promises or agreements." The war has been on hold since April 8, with one failed round of peace talks held in Pakistan since then.

What is in Iran's new negotiating proposal?

Iran delivered a draft proposal to mediator Pakistan on Thursday evening, with state media reporting it without detailing its contents. The White House also declined to provide specifics.

News site Axios reported that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff had submitted amendments placing Tehran's nuclear program back on the negotiating table, including demands that Iran not move enriched uranium from bombed sites or resume activity there during talks.

Trump told reporters he was "not satisfied" with what Iran was offering, blaming stalled talks on "tremendous discord" within Iran's leadership. He said he would "prefer not" to resume strikes "on a human basis," but left the option open. Iran's judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said his country had "never shied away from negotiations," but would not accept imposed peace terms.

What is happening with oil prices and the Strait of Hormuz?

News of the Iranian proposal briefly pushed oil prices down nearly 5 percent, though they remain around 50 percent above pre-war levels. Iran has maintained a stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz since the war began, choking major flows of oil, gas, and fertilizer to the world economy. The U.S. has imposed a counter-blockade on Iranian ports in response.

Washington imposed new sanctions on three Iranian currency firms on Friday and warned shipping companies against paying tolls to Iran for safe passage through the strait.

The U.S. military says its blockade has stopped $6 billion in Iranian oil exports. Inflation inside Iran, already elevated before the war, has surged past 50 percent.

How is the war affecting Iranians on the ground?

The economic toll inside Iran is deepening. "For many people, paying rent and even buying food has become difficult, and some have nothing left at all," said Mahyar, a 28-year-old who spoke to an AFP reporter based outside the country.

A Tehran resident named Amir described the stalemate as feeling like being "stuck in purgatory," expressing little faith in the latest proposal. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei urged businesses on Friday to avoid layoffs while threatening Iran's enemies with "economic and cultural jihad."

What else is happening across the region?

Despite the ceasefire in the Gulf, fighting has continued in Lebanon, where Israel carried out deadly strikes despite a separate truce with Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Lebanon's health ministry said 13 people were killed in strikes in the south, including in the town of Habboush, where the Israeli military had issued an evacuation warning beforehand.

Washington approved major arms sales late Friday, including a $4 billion Patriot missile deal with Qatar and nearly $1 billion in precision weapons systems to Israel.

In Washington, lawmakers continued to dispute whether Trump had breached a deadline to seek congressional approval for the war. Trump wrote to congressional leaders declaring the hostilities "have terminated," citing no exchange of fire with Iran since April 7.