Iran has presented the U.S. with a new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war, deferring nuclear talks to a later stage, according to a U.S. official and two sources familiar with the situation, Axios reports, according to UNN.
Details
Diplomacy, the publication writes, has reached an impasse, and the Iranian leadership is divided over what nuclear concessions should be on the negotiating table. The Iranian proposal would bypass this issue and allow for a deal to be reached more quickly.
But lifting the blockade and ending the war, the publication notes, would deprive U.S. President Donald Trump of leverage in any future negotiations regarding the removal of Iran's stockpiles of enriched uranium and convincing Tehran to suspend enrichment—two of Trump's primary war objectives.
According to three U.S. officials, Trump is expected to hold a meeting in the Situation Room on Monday regarding Iran with his national security and foreign policy team.
One source said Trump's team will discuss the stalemate in negotiations and potential next steps.
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Trump signaled that he wants to continue the naval blockade, which cuts off Iranian oil exports, hoping it will force Tehran to concede within the next few weeks.
"When you have massive amounts of oil flowing through your system... if for some reason that channel is blocked because you can't load it into containers or onto ships... then an explosion of that channel happens from within... They say they have about three days left before that happens," Trump said.
Trump warned of a possible explosion of Iranian oil pipelines within three days27.04.26, 03:34
The crisis in negotiations between the U.S. and Iran deepened over the weekend after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's visit to Pakistan concluded without progress.
The White House announced that Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would meet with Araghchi in Islamabad, but the Iranians did not give a definitive answer. Trump told Axios that Iran's position prompted him to cancel the trip.
"I don't see the point in sending them on an 18-hour flight in the current situation. It's too long. We can do it by phone. The Iranians can call us if they want. We're not going to go just to sit there," Trump said.
On Sunday, Araghchi held talks with Omani officials in Muscat, which focused on the Strait of Hormuz, before returning to Islamabad for a second round of negotiations.
On Monday, Araghchi was scheduled to travel to Moscow and meet with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.
Iranian Foreign Minister departs for Moscow for urgent meeting with Putin27.04.26, 05:27
Araghchi raised the possibility of bypassing the nuclear issue during his meetings in Islamabad, according to two sources familiar with the situation.
One source said Araghchi made it clear to Pakistani, Egyptian, Turkish, and Qatari mediators over the weekend that there is no consensus within the Iranian leadership on how to respond to U.S. demands. The U.S. wants Iran to suspend uranium enrichment for at least a decade and remove enriched uranium from the country.
The new proposal, submitted to the U.S. through Pakistani mediators, is primarily aimed at resolving the crisis surrounding the Strait and the American blockade. Under this deal, the ceasefire would be extended for a long period, or the parties would agree to a complete end to the war. According to the proposal, nuclear negotiations would only begin at a later stage, after the opening of the Strait and the lifting of the blockade
The White House, as the publication writes, "received this proposal," but it is unclear whether the U.S. is ready to consider it.
"These are sensitive diplomatic negotiations, and the U.S. will not negotiate through the press. As the President has said, the United States holds the cards, and they will only make a deal if the interests of the American people come first, never allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon," White House spokesperson Olivia Wales told Axios.