The New Proposal
Iran has offered the United States a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war while postponing nuclear negotiations to a later stage, according to a U.S. official and two sources with knowledge of the proposal. The Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi raised the plan during meetings in Islamabad over the weekend, presenting it through Pakistani mediators. Under the proposal, the ceasefire would be extended for a long period or the parties would agree on a permanent end to the war, with nuclear talks beginning only after the strait reopened and the blockade lifted.
The timing reflects a strategic shift in Tehran's approach. Araghchi made clear to Pakistani, Egyptian, Turkish and Qatari mediators that there is no consensus inside Iranian leadership about how to address U.S. demands regarding uranium enrichment and removal of enriched uranium stockpiles. By separating the shipping crisis from the nuclear issue, Iran aims to break a diplomatic logjam that has stalled negotiations since mid-April.
Trump's Leverage Concerns
The proposal presents a dilemma for President Trump. Lifting the blockade and ending the war would remove his primary leverage in future talks to remove Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium and convince Tehran to suspend enrichment, both stated war objectives. Trump signaled in a Fox News interview on Sunday that he wants to maintain the naval blockade choking off Iran's oil exports, hoping it will force Tehran to cave within weeks.
"When you have vast amounts of oil pouring through your system, if for any reason this line is closed because you can't put it into containers or ships, what happens is that line explodes from within," Trump said, claiming Iran has only about three days before internal pressure becomes critical. Trump canceled a planned trip by envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad, telling Axios: "I see no point of sending them on an 18-hour flight in the current situation. It's too long."
Araghchi's Diplomatic Circuit
Araghchi's movements reveal the intensity of behind-the-scenes diplomacy. After meetings in Islamabad with Pakistan's military chief Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday, he traveled to Oman where talks focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. He then returned to Islamabad for a second round before heading to Russia on Monday to meet President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.
Upon arrival in Russia, Araghchi said the U.S. approaches caused previous negotiations to fail. "The US approaches caused the previous round of negotiations, despite progress, to fail to reach its goals because of the excessive demands," he stated. He emphasized that "safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is an important global issue," as the strait's effective closure has created massive disruptions in global oil and gas supply.
Washington's Response
The White House has received Iran's proposal but has not signaled willingness to explore it. White House spokesperson Olivia Wales told Axios: "These are sensitive diplomatic discussions and the U.S. will not negotiate through the press. As the president has said, the United States holds the cards and will only make a deal that puts the American people first, never allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon."
Trump is expected to hold a Situation Room meeting on Iran with his top national security and foreign policy team on Monday to discuss the stalemate and potential next steps. The administration has not yet indicated whether it views Iran's proposal as a genuine opening or another delaying tactic designed to preserve Tehran's nuclear program.
