12 Countries Seek Mediation to End Iran War

About 12 countries have contacted the United States in an attempt to mediate an end to the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran, a senior US official said as the conflict entered its sixth day.

Speaking to CNN, the official said several governments reached out to Washington after the situation escalated into open violence. Some countries expressed interest in helping facilitate a diplomatic solution, and the United States has remained in contact with them.

Earlier reports suggested that Iranian intelligence had informed Washington of Tehran’s willingness to open communication channels to discuss ways to end the war. According to those reports, messages were reportedly delivered to the Central Intelligence Agency through a third country.

However, Iran denied the claims. An Iranian official told the Tasnim News Agency that Tehran had not sent any message to the United States and would not respond to American communications.

US officials also told CNN that no negotiations are currently underway and that a diplomatic breakthrough is unlikely in the near term, with no serious discussions taking place about halting military operations.

According to the report, there has been no direct exchange of messages between Washington and Tehran. US envoy Steve Witkoff, who previously led three rounds of negotiations with Iran before the recent strikes, is not currently in contact with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi or senior security official Ali Larijani.

A senior US official said Washington is not using any intermediary in the conflict, describing the situation as a military operation that must proceed.

Iran’s leadership remains unsettled following the reported death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in an Israeli strike earlier in the conflict.

US President Donald Trump has also given mixed signals about potential negotiations with Iran. In an interview with The Atlantic, he suggested he could speak with new Iranian leaders. A day later, however, Trump said it was already “too late” for talks.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Israel would target anyone who replaces Khamenei, underscoring the growing risk of further escalation in the conflict.