Iran on Thursday slammed the US ceasefire proposal as "one-side and unfair", pointing out that it serves only the interests of the US and Israel.
A top Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran had reviewed the proposal conveyed through Pakistan in detail. "In brief, the proposal suggests that Iran would relinquish its ability to defend itself in exchange for a vague plan to lift sanctions. It is one-sided and unfair, serving only US and Israeli interests," he said.
However, the official said there is still room for diplomacy. "If realism prevails in Washington, a path forward may still be found," he added. "There is still no arrangement for negotiations, no plan for talks appears realistic at this stage."
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This comes as US President Donald Trump alleged that Iran is begging to make a deal and not him. He acknowledged that the Iranians are "great negotiators" but that he is not sure he is willing to make a deal with them to end the conflict. "We'll see if we can make the right deal, open Hormuz Strait," Trump added.
Amid the standoff between the US and Iran, the GCC nations have expressed their willingness to join the talks. Iran has been targeting its Gulf neighbours with missiles and drones.
"We emphasise the necessity of involving the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries in any talks or agreements to resolve this crisis, in a way that contributes to strengthening their security and stability," GCC secretary general Jasem al-Budaiwi said in a televised speech.