Good morning and welcome to way too early, the show that's giving everyone an early reminder that Sunday is Mother's Day.

Do with that information what you will. I know I'm taking that reminder after the show today.

I'm Ali Vitale on this Thursday, May 7th. We're going to start with the news.

The United States and Iran continue to give mixed messages about the state of the war and potential negotiations

to end it. President Trump yesterday once again insisted Iran wants to make a deal, saying the two sides

have had very good talks this week, while also threatening the possibility of more attacks.

Iran's foreign ministry, meanwhile, says the country is considering a U.S. plan to conclude the

conflict while earlier yesterday,

an Iranian lawmaker dismissed it as an American wish list. Axios reports that this memorandum

of understanding, or MOU, would declare an end to the war in the region and the start of a 30-day

period of negotiations on a detailed agreement to open the strait, limit Iran's nuclear program,

and lift U.S. sanctions.

MS now hasn't confirmed that reporting from Axios, but a Pakistani official linked with mediating talks between the U.S. and Iran tells our contributor in Zemam M Rashid that the prospect of a proposal

to end the war is very likely in the coming days.

At the same time, U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces yesterday

fired on an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after the ship sailed toward an Iranian port

in what it calls a violation of the ongoing American blockade. All of this comes as China is

stepping into a more prominent diplomatic role in the Iran conflict.

Comes just days before President Trump meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Yesterday, Iran's foreign minister traveled to China for high-stakes talks, signaling closer

coordination between Tehran and Beijing. Following that meeting, the Chinese foreign

minister called for a comprehensive ceasefire and urged

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