US President Donald Trump stated that Iran's leaders are afraid to publicly admit that they are conducting negotiations with the United States.
His comments came after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told state media that Iran "has no intention of negotiating at the moment" and that the country would continue to "defend itself."
The varying messages from Washington suggest that Trump has not yet decided which exit strategy from the conflict would be most appropriate.
Earlier, the White House stated that the US is "very close" to achieving its objectives in Iran and that the Iranian regime is seeking a "way out" of the war.
Meanwhile, according to an Iranian official speaking to state media, Tehran has presented five conditions to end the conflict. Among them are the end of the war "on all fronts" and the payment of reparations.
This comes after Iran reportedly received a 15-point plan from the US. Tehran initially rejected the plan, but Araghchi later stated that "if a position needs to be taken, it will definitely be determined."
