May 3, 2026
US President Donald Trump said he was reviewing a new Iranian proposal to end the war, telling reporters he would announce details later and that “they’re going to give me the exact wording now.” On his Truth Social platform he expressed skepticism, saying he could not imagine the proposal would be acceptable because Iran had not paid “a big enough price” for its actions over the last 47 years. The statement followed his rejection of an earlier Iranian offer.
Iran delivered fresh proposals to Pakistani mediators, reportedly setting a one-month deadline for negotiations. According to US media reporting, Tehran’s aims include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, ending the US naval blockade, and securing permanent ends to the wars in Iran and in Lebanon.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards rejected pressure from Trump, warning the US it faced a choice between an “impossible” military operation or a “bad deal.” The Guards’ intelligence organization cited what it called shifts in tone from China, Russia and Europe toward Washington and referred to an Iranian “deadline” over the US blockade. Senior Iranian military figures also warned renewed conflict with the United States was likely, while Tehran’s deputy foreign minister said the “ball is in the United States’ court” to choose diplomacy or confrontation.
Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, has strongly opposed direct Lebanon-Israel talks. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said the group could “thwart” the objectives of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, warning such talks deepen internal divisions. Lebanon and Israel have held rare direct meetings in Washington as they attempt to end the Israel-Hezbollah war and address long-standing disputes.
Despite a fragile ceasefire agreed on April 17, Israel has continued strikes in southern Lebanon, saying it targeted dozens of Hezbollah positions. The Israeli military warned residents of several towns and villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate immediately, advising people to move at least 1,000 metres into open areas. Lebanese media and state news agencies reported Israeli strikes across the region; Lebanon says the attacks have killed thousands and displaced more than a million. Both sides regularly accuse each other of ceasefire violations.
Israel has also approved a major purchase of around 50 advanced fighter jets from the United States to bolster its air power: one squadron of F-35I Adir stealth fighters and one squadron of F-15IA strike fighters. Defense Minister Israel Katz said the purchases would ensure the Israel Defense Forces could operate “anywhere, at any time.” Israel has used existing F-35Is in strikes related to both Gaza and Iran.
The conflict has struck academic targets in Iran: the Isfahan University of Technology, heavily damaged in March by US-Israeli strikes, will preserve a bombed site as a war museum, university officials said. The university reported about $11 million in damages and said other land was allocated for a new building and advanced equipment. Iranian officials say more than 30 universities, including in Tehran, have been targeted.
Human rights concerns persist inside Iran. Nobel Peace Prize laureate and rights lawyer Narges Mohammadi, jailed after arrest in December, was urgently transferred to a hospital in Zanjan following a cardiac crisis and fainting. Her family and foundation said her health was at “very high risk,” citing a decline they partly attribute to a beating at arrest. Iranian medical teams requested her records before treatment; her husband said Iran’s Intelligence Ministry opposed a transfer to Tehran for care by her own doctors.
The situation remains fluid. Iran signals readiness for diplomacy if Washington chooses that path, but Iran’s military and allied groups continue to warn and act in ways that complicate negotiations. Trump’s review of Tehran’s newest proposal and his public skepticism leave the immediate prospects for a negotiated settlement uncertain, while military moves and political statements on both sides keep tensions high.