U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iranian leaders are “afraid” to admit they are negotiating with the United States.
Trump insisted that Iran “is negotiating,” adding: “They are afraid to admit it because they think they will be killed by their own people. They are also afraid they will be killed by us.”
There have been conflicting reports regarding proposals to end the war. On Wednesday, some sources indicated that Iran had received a 15-point plan from the U.S. aimed at achieving a ceasefire.
An Iranian “senior political-security official” cited by state broadcaster Press TV said Tehran has five conditions to end the conflict, including payment of “war damages and reparations” and ending hostilities on all fronts.
At a Wednesday evening press conference, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke extensively about Iran, affirming that President Trump remains engaged in “productive talks” despite Tehran’s claims to the contrary.
Leavitt described the circulating 15-point plan as “speculative,” but said it contains “elements of truth,” declining to provide further details on the negotiation process.
She also reinforced Trump’s claim that a regime change in Iran has effectively already occurred, stating that Iranian leaders have been killed and “no one has really seen or heard from Mojtaba Khamenei.”
When asked about the potential deployment of U.S. forces in Iran, Leavitt declined to comment directly but noted that formal Congressional authorization would not be required.
Asked if the end of the war is near, Leavitt said the U.S. is “very close” to achieving its key objectives but did not provide new timelines.
