Iran has sent its response to a US proposal aimed ⁠at ending the more than two-month war to mediator, Pakistan, Iran's IRNA news agency said on Sunday.

According to Iran's proposal, the current ⁠phase of negotiations will ⁠focus exclusively on ⁠the cessation of hostilities in the region, ⁠a source familiar with the matter told IRNA.

Reuters news agency reported that sources in both camps have ⁠said the latest peace efforts are aimed at a temporary memorandum of understanding to halt the war and allow traffic through the Strait of ⁠Hormuz while they discuss a fuller deal, which would have to address intractable disputes such as Iran's nuclear programme.

The development came after a drone struck a commercial vessel in Qatari waters on Sunday.

"A commercial cargo vessel in the country's territorial waters – northeast of Mesaieed Port – coming from Abu Dhabi, was targeted by a drone on Sunday morning. The incident resulted in a limited fire on board the vessel, with no reported injuries," the Qatari ministry said on X.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Iran's Fars news agency reported, citing an unidentified source, that "the bulk carrier that was struck near the coast of Qatar was sailing under the US flag and belonged to the United States".

The incident comes after a US fighter jet on Friday disabled two Iranian-flagged tankers in the Gulf of Oman to prevent them from continuing to Iran.

Iran's Guards then threatened on Saturday to target US sites in the Middle East and "enemy ships" if its own tankers came under fire. (Reuters/AFP)


Edited by Aaron Tam