A senior Iranian official denied Wednesday that Qatar had presented Tehran with a new peace proposal, saying instead that Qatar had come with "unacceptable" ideas, the news agency reported. reported earlier Wednesday that Qatari mediators handed Iran a new draft deal to end the war on Sunday, citing an official briefed on the negotiations. Dismissing the idea that they had been given a new peace proposal, the Iranian official speaking to the news agency said Tehran would show no flexibility on the nuclear issue. Qatari mediators on Sunday handed Iran a new draft deal to end the war, the news agency reported, citing an official briefed on the negotiations.
Tehran is considering the proposal and set to respond by the end of the week, the agency reported Wednesday. The source added that there were concerns in Tehran before the meeting on Sunday that Israel could resume its bombardment of Iran this week. The cost of the Iran war has risen to an estimated $47 billion, according to an estimate from the U.S. military's Central Command obtained by CBS News Tuesday.
Like previous estimates, it does not include damage to U.S. military bases in the Middle East. The bulk of the cost, $29 billion, is for replacing expended munitions. According to a report released by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office in September, the Iran war could cost approximately $2 billion to $3 billion per month for as long as it continues.
Exit polls from Israel's major television networks project that a majority of Israelis voted against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition in Tuesday's election, but his Likud party still emerged as the largest party among all the contenders. Neither bloc, Netanyahu or the opposition, has a clear majority. While Netanyahu appears to have won fewer votes than his main challenger, according to the early exit polls, both candidates will likely struggle to cobble together a coalition.
One or the other would need to obtain majority support in Israel's 120-seat parliament, known as the Knesset, in order to form a government. Israel's two Arab parties won more seats in parliament than in any previous election. That electoral success comes after what some Arab voters told CBS News was a difficult time for them in the country under the hard-right government of Netanyahu, prompting a historic turnout for the minority community.
Both Netanyahu and those opposing him have vowed not to form a government reliant on Arab parties, arguing it would endanger the country if they gain enough seats to influence Israel's engagement in its myriad conflicts. Arab citizens of Israel are around 20% of the population.
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