Day 71: Iran Submits Formal Response to US 14-Point Peace Proposal via Pakistani Intermediaries; Qatar Joins Mediation

On Day 71 of the US-Iran war (May 10, 2026), Iran formally submitted its response to the United States' 14-point peace proposal through Pakistani intermediaries, according to Iran's state news agency IRNA. The specific contents of Iran's response were not immediately made public. The submission came one day after the Rubio-set MOU deadline had already passed without a formal Iranian answer. Iran's position, as characterized by Iranian officials and CNN's live coverage, remained that Tehran wants a full cessation of hostilities first — before any broader negotiations on the nuclear program can proceed — calling several US demands 'unreasonable and maximalist.' The US proposal's core terms include a 12–15 year moratorium on uranium enrichment, Iran handing over approximately 440 kg of uranium enriched to 60%, gradual US sanctions lifting and release of frozen Iranian assets (~$6B), and the gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping during a 30-day detailed negotiation period. Axios reported separately that the US and Iran were 'closing in on a one-page memo' to end the war. In a significant diplomatic development, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani traveled to Miami on May 10 to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Vice President JD Vance — adding Qatar's established diplomatic channel (which had previously brokered Gaza hostage deals) alongside Pakistan's to the US-Iran mediation effort. The US naval blockade of Iranian ports continued with approximately 31 tankers (~53 million barrels of oil) still blocked; 22,500 mariners remained trapped on 1,550+ vessels in the Persian Gulf. Brent crude remained volatile near $103–109/bbl. CENTCOM confirmed the ceasefire technically held through Day 71 despite ongoing Strait of Hormuz tensions.