The White House is pushing back against claims that Iran has rejected a U.S. proposal to end the war, insisting diplomatic talks are ongoing.
Key U.S. priorities include preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, halting uranium enrichment and allowing freedom of navigation of the Strait of Hormuz.
It remains unclear who, specifically, the United States is negotiating with. President Donald Trump said this week that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner have all been involved in discussions.
Even as the administration emphasizes diplomacy, it is also issuing a warning to Iran.
"There does not need to be any more death and destruction. But if Iran fails to accept the reality of the current moment, if they fail to understand that they have been defeated militarily and will continue to be, President Trump will ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before," White House Press Secretary Kraoline Leavitt said in a briefing on Wednesday. "President Trump does not bluff, and he is prepared to unleash hell."
As the press secretary says that the president likes to retain all his options, Scripps News has learned from an official with knowledge that elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, including its division headquarters and some division enablers, are deploying to the Middle East region.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi claims no negotiations have taken place, calling the U.S. talk of negotiations an "admission of defeat." Araghchi also noted that the Strait of Hormuz is open to friendly counterparts, including China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan, to pass.
