President Trump said Friday he was "not satisfied" with a new Iranian peace proposal delivered through Pakistani mediators, rejecting Tehran's latest attempt to end the ongoing conflict as diplomatic activity around the war intensified on multiple fronts.
The offer arrived as a senior Iranian commander warned that any new U.S. military strikes would draw "sustained, wide-ranging, and painful retaliation." Trump also told congressional leaders Friday that "hostilities" with Iran have "terminated," a statement aimed at addressing a critical 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution, a decades-old law that limits the use of military force without congressional authorization.
At the same time, the White House confirmed Saturday that Nick Stewart has joined the team negotiating with Iran, working under Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Stewart was brought on by Jared Kushner, according to U.S. officials who spoke to CBS News. He previously served at the State Department during Trump's first term and worked for the lobbying arm of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish group that has been publicly supportive of military action against Iran.
"Nick Stewart is a sharp, seasoned policy expert who is a valuable asset to Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's talented team," White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said in a statement. She described him as a "trusted voice" as Witkoff works "in lockstep with President Trump and his entire national security team to make a deal that is good for the United States and the world."
Qatar is also playing an active role. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani spoke Saturday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi about the negotiations. Iran has previously targeted Qatari infrastructure during the conflict, including strikes on a natural gas facility and Hamad International Airport, as pressure tactics aimed at the U.S. and Israel.
The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said its prime minister "affirmed the State of Qatar's full support for mediation efforts aimed at resolving the crisis through peaceful means," urging all parties to respond positively to those efforts and reduce the risk of renewed escalation. The statement made no direct mention of the Iranian strikes on Qatar.
The conflict's toll in Lebanon continues to mount. At least 41 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon in a single 24-hour period, according to Al Jazeera, despite a ceasefire that has nominally been in place since April 16. More than 2,000 people have been killed since Israel's invasion of Lebanon began.
