America claims negotiations with Iran are ongoing, vows to take drastic action if agreement isn't reached

Despite Iran reportedly rejecting a US plan to end the war, the White House stated on Wednesday that talks with Tehran were ongoing, but cautioned that President Donald Trump was prepared to take drastic action if a deal was not reached, with the threat of unleashing hell if necessary.

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The Iranian government's response to the US proposal was cited by state media as being negative, according to an unidentified official, as the conflict in the Middle East approached its four-week mark.

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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that negotiations with Iran had stalled, affirming that talks were continuing and yielding productive results.

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When questioned about the Iranian report, Leavitt stated that discussions were still underway, saying "Talks continue, they are productive".

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Leavitt acknowledged that some media reports on the 15-point US plan, which included demands for Iran to relinquish its nuclear program and dismantle its ballistic missile arsenal, contained elements of truth, but noted that other aspects were not entirely factual.

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According to US and Israeli media, the plan's key points involved Iran giving up any right to a nuclear program and agreeing to dismantle its ballistic missile arsenal.

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Leavitt declined to disclose whom the US was dealing with in Tehran, following the assassination of supreme leader Ali Khamenei, and the subsequent absence of his son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, from public view.

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Reports have suggested that the Trump administration's interlocutor is Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's speaker of parliament and one of its most prominent non-clerical figures.

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Leavitt also refused to confirm reports that top US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, were set to hold talks with the Iranians in Pakistan, which has emerged as a key mediator in the conflict.

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The White House warned that it was time for Iran to make a deal, with Leavitt asserting that Trump was nearing the key US military objectives of "Operation Epic Fury", and cautioning that failure to accept the current reality would result in severe consequences.

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If Iran fails to accept the reality of the current moment, Leavitt said, President Trump will ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before, and that Trump does not bluff and is prepared to unleash hell, warning Iran not to miscalculate again.

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As speculation mounts about a possible ground invasion, Trump is deploying thousands of airborne troops and extra marines to the Gulf, potentially to seize Iranian oil assets or secure the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

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Iran's speaker Ghalibaf warned on Wednesday on X of the possible invasion of an Iranian island, with the support of an unnamed regional country.

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The White House appears to be sticking to its previously stated timeline of four to six weeks for the war, with Leavitt saying "We've always estimated approximately four to six weeks, so you could do the math on that".

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President Trump announced on Wednesday that his visit to China to meet Xi Jinping had been rescheduled for mid-May, having been postponed by six weeks to deal with the conflict, with Leavitt adding that President Xi understood the importance of the president's presence during the combat operations.