US Insists Talks Ongoing Even as Iran Rejects Trump Outreach

<p>The people, companies and trends shaping the global economy.</p> <p>Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.</p> <p>The White House insisted that peace talks with Iran are ongoing, even as Tehran publicly rejected US overtures and issued fresh conditions of its own to end the conflict that&rsquo;s wreaked havoc across the Middle East and global markets.</p> <p>&ldquo;The United States has been engaged over the last three days in productive conversations,&rdquo; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re beginning to see the regime look for an exit ramp.&rdquo;<br />&ldquo;If Iran fails to accept the reality of the current moment,&rdquo; Leavitt added, &ldquo;Trump will ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before. President Trump does not bluff and he is prepared to unleash hell.&rdquo;</p> <p>Her comments ran counter to Iran&rsquo;s earlier statements through state-run media publicly rejecting Trump&rsquo;s push for talks. Tehran is also seeking its own guarantees, including that the US and Israel won&rsquo;t resume their attacks, reparations for war damages and recognition of its authority over the Strait of Hormuz, state-owned Press TV said.</p> <p>Trump on Monday set a five-day deadline for Iran to negotiate a deal to end the war. Halfway through that period, there are lingering questions over the status of negotiations and the likelihood for a deal.</p> <p>The US has compiled a 15-point peace proposal that Pakistan delivered to the Islamic Republic, according to people familiar with the matter, highlighting the urgency within Trump&rsquo;s administration to resolve a conflict it started alongside Israel almost a month ago. Leavitt on Wednesday said there were &ldquo;elements of truth&rdquo; to the reported US proposal, but cautioned against speculating on anonymously provided plans.</p> <p>Vice President JD Vance may travel to Pakistan for Iran talks this weekend, CNN reported. Asked for comment on that report, Leavitt said &ldquo;this is a fluid situation, and speculation about meetings should not be deemed as final until they are formally announced by the White House.&rdquo;</p> <p>Today's show features:</p> <ul> <li>Michelle Jamrisko, Bloomberg News White House and National Security Editor</li> <li>Dan Letter, CEO of Prologis</li> <li>Rachel Metz, Bloomberg News AI Reporter on OpenAI Discontinues Support for Sora, Winds Down Disney Deal</li> <li>June Grasso, Bloomberg Law host, on Meta, Google Found Liable in Social Media Addiction Case</li> </ul><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>