U.S. Waits for Iran’s Response as Revolutionary Guards Threaten American Centers in Region

The United States continued to wait for Iran’s response to a proposal to end the war as a fragile ceasefire held, with President Donald Trump saying Saturday he “expects to hear very soon” from the Iranians.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that “Any attack on Iranian tankers and commercial vessels will result in a heavy attack on one of the American centres in the region and enemy ships,” according to Iranian media reported by the AP.

Ain Libya

In the Gulf, a bulk carrier was reportedly struck by an unknown projectile off Qatar, and UK maritime authorities said the incident happened 23 nautical miles (43km) north-east of Doha.

Qatar’s prime minister met in Miami with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and CBS News reported that the discussion included efforts to end the Iran war.

As negotiations hung in the balance, Al Jazeera said the U.S. expected Tehran to respond by Friday but that “it hasn’t happened,” while Iran insisted any agreement must be “fair and comprehensive.”

In Miami, CBS News reported that Qatar’s prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, and a State Department spokesperson said they “discussed U.S. support for Qatar's defense, and the importance of continued close coordination to deter threats and promote stability and security across the Middle East.”

CNN reported that an Iranian military figure warned countries enforcing sanctions against Iran will “face problems” when their vessels use the Strait of Hormuz, as state media described Tehran’s stance.

Al Jazeera

The Guardian reported that Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi questioned the reliability of US leadership, quoting an ISNA account that said the “recent escalation of tensions by American forces in the Persian Gulf” added to suspicions about US diplomacy.

Al Jazeera framed the delay in Tehran’s response by quoting a correspondent saying the US proposal is “an extremely technical text,” with Iranian negotiators “concerned about every date and word in that text.”

In parallel, AP reported that Iran issued a warning to Bahrain, quoting Ebrahim Azizi saying, “The Strait of Hormuz is a vital lifeline; do not risk closing it on yourselves FOREVER,” as Bahrain said it arrested dozens linked to the Revolutionary Guard.

The talks’ sticking points centered on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program, with Al Jazeera saying the US proposal would require Iran to freeze uranium enrichment for at least 12 years and reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days.

Al Jazeera also reported that Iran’s reported demands include lifting sanctions, releasing frozen assets, ending what Tehran calls the US blockade and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while saying Iran is insisting it will maintain influence over the waterway.

In the background of the negotiations, AP said the U.S. military turned back 58 commercial ships and “disabled” four since the blockade began April 13, even as it awaited Iran’s response.

Reuters reported that a tanker crossed the Strait of Hormuz as the U.S. waited for Iran’s response to the peace proposal, underscoring the immediate operational stakes for shipping through the waterway.

Meanwhile, Fox News Digital described a contingency posture if diplomacy fails, quoting retired Army Col. Seth Krummrich saying, “We’re both starting at minus 1,000 because neither side trusts each other at all,” as the U.S. weighs how to degrade Tehran’s military capabilities.