Iran says it is examining new US proposal as Pakistani mediator visits Tehran

Iran confirmed on Wednesday it had received a new U.S. proposal and was examining it, as Pakistan's interior minister visited Tehran for the second time in under a week to facilitate diplomatic exchanges. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei made the announcement on state television. The visit came amid continued threats from both Washington and Tehran and growing international pressure to formalize a ceasefire.

What is in the new U.S. proposal to Iran?

Iran has not disclosed the full contents of the U.S. proposal, but Baqaei confirmed Tehran is currently reviewing the American side's "points of view." Iran's stated demands in the negotiations include the release of Iranian assets frozen abroad and an end to the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports. Pakistan's interior minister is serving as a go-between to facilitate the exchange of messages.

What did Iran's chief negotiator say about U.S. intentions?

Despite the ongoing diplomacy, Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the U.S. of seeking to restart the war. In an audio message carried by Iranian media, he said the enemy's "overt and clandestine" movements showed it had not abandoned its military objectives. Iran's Revolutionary Guards separately warned that any renewed attack would trigger a regional war spreading far beyond the Middle East.

Trump, however, told reporters on Wednesday the U.S. was in the "final stages" of negotiations with Iran. "We'll either have a deal or we're going to do some things that are a little bit nasty," he said. He added he was in "no hurry" and hoped to avoid heavy casualties.

What is Pakistan's role in the U.S.-Iran negotiations?

Pakistan has been mediating between Washington and Tehran since the April 8 ceasefire halted the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. The country's interior minister has now visited Tehran twice in under a week, according to Iran's official IRNA news agency, citing diplomatic sources. Reports on Wednesday also suggested Pakistan's army chief may visit Tehran as talks intensify.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan praised Trump's decision to "give diplomacy a chance" and urged Iran to seize the opportunity to avoid further escalation. Israel's army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said his military was at its highest alert level and prepared for any development. Global oil prices fell more than five percent on Wednesday on hopes of a deal being reached.

How is the Strait of Hormuz closure affecting the global economy?

The ceasefire has not reopened the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes. The strait is also a conduit for around a third of global fertilizer supply, and its continued closure is driving up food prices and raising fears of shortages. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization warned on Wednesday of "a severe global food price crisis" and a "systemic agrifood shock."

Rising fuel costs have already triggered unrest beyond the Middle East. In Kenya, which depends heavily on Gulf imports, protests have brought the public transport system to a halt. Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said four people were killed and more than 30 injured in Wednesday's violence.