12 Countries Seek to Mediate to Stop Iran War

SadaNews - A senior U.S. official has revealed that approximately 12 countries have contacted the United States in an attempt to mediate for a halt to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which has entered its sixth day.

The official told U.S. network CNN: "Since things escalated to violence, several countries have reached out to us," noting that the number of these countries is around 12.

The official added: "Some have expressed a desire to know if they can help resolve the crisis, and we have communicated with them."

Reports have previously indicated that Iranian intelligence informed the United States of its readiness to open channels of communication regarding how to end the war, stating that messages were conveyed to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) through a third country.

However, the Tasnim News Agency quoted an Iranian official stating that Tehran has not sent any message to the United States and "will not respond to its messages."

Moreover, American officials confirmed to CNN that there are no ongoing negotiations and that any "potential exits are unlikely to emerge in the near term," as there are no serious discussions regarding halting military operations.

The network revealed that there has been no actual exchange of messages between the United States and Iran, and that U.S. envoy Steve Winikoff, who led three rounds of negotiations with Iran before the strikes, has not been in contact with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, with whom he previously exchanged text messages, nor with Iranian National Security Chief Ali Larijani.

A senior U.S. official stated: "We are not using any party as a mediator. This is a military action and must take its course."

Iran's leadership remains in a state of confusion following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in an Israeli attack on Saturday.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump openly acknowledged his views on the future Iranian leadership, stating: "The people we were thinking about are dead. Now we have another group. They may be dead too according to reports, so I think we will see a third wave coming. Very soon we won't know anyone."

In contrast, Israel has vowed, through its Defense Minister Israel Katz, to assassinate anyone who replaces Khamenei.

However, Trump has expressed varying views about his willingness to negotiate with Iran, stating to The Atlantic magazine on Sunday that he intends to speak with "the new Iranian leaders," adding: "They want to talk, and I agreed with that, so I will talk to them."

Yet, a day later, he wrote that the Iranians "want to talk. I said: Too late."