U.S. officials issue statement on Iran peace talks

U.S. officials stated on Sunday that Iran must reach a peace agreement with the United States soon or face retaliation. The statement followed weeks of talks that have not produced a lasting deal. The U.S. and Iran have held on-and-off negotiations for more than five weeks after a ceasefire was declared on April 8.

Pakistan has served as the broker for the discussions. Iran submitted a response to a U.S. proposal last Sunday. Officials described the response as unacceptable, and talks continued without an agreement.

Drone strike reported near UAE power plant A drone strike hit the United Arab Emirates' only power plant on Sunday. The UAE did not attribute the strike to any country. The UAE had previously reported intercepting 15 Iranian missiles and four Iranian drones in early May. The incident marks another test of the regional ceasefire.

Nuclear program moratorium proposed U.S. officials said this past week that a 20-year moratorium on Iran's nuclear program would be acceptable. The position represents a shift from earlier demands that Iran permanently end its nuclear activities. Officials also stated that they do not believe China wants Iran to possess a nuclear weapon.

The comments followed a trip to China by U.S. representatives.