Iran has presented a new proposal to the United States on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the war, postponing negotiations on its nuclear program to a later stage, according to a US official and two sources familiar with the discussions cited by Axios.
Negotiations between the US and Iran have reached an impasse PHOTO shutterstock
The proposal comes at a time of diplomatic impasse, with Iran's leadership divided over which concessions on its nuclear program it should accept. Such a proposal allows Tehran to temporarily sidestep this sensitive topic in an attempt to reach an agreement more quickly.
On the other hand, lifting the embargo could diminish President Donald Trump's negotiating leverage in any future talks on removing Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium and suspending its enrichment, which are Washington's main goals for an eventuality.
Trump is expected to chair a Situation Room meeting with his national security and foreign policy team on Monday, according to three US officials. One of them said the talks would focus on the deadlock in negotiations and next steps.
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Trump suggested he wants to maintain the naval blockade affecting Iran's oil exports, hoping that pressure will eventually force Tehran to relent in the coming weeks.
“When you have huge amounts of oil going through your system … if for whatever reason that line is shut down because you can't load it into containers or ships … what happens is that line explodes from the inside … They say they only have about three days until that happens.”said the American president.
The negotiations reached a critical impasse over the weekend after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's visit to Pakistan ended without any progress. The White House had previously announced that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were to meet Araghchi in Islamabad, but the Iranian side did not firmly confirm the meeting. Trump told Axios that Iran's position led him to ultimately cancel their trip.
“I don't see the point in subjecting him to an 18-hour flight in the current situation. It's too long a journey. We might as well do it over the phone. The Iranians can call us if they want. We're not going to travel just to wait there.” Trump pointed out.
On Sunday, Araghchi held talks with Omani officials in Muscat focused on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, after which he returned to Islamabad for a second round of negotiations with the US. On Monday, the Iranian minister was expected to travel to Moscow for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Iran would like to put nuclear negotiations on hold
According to sources, Araghchi presented the plan to postpone the talks on the nuclear program in the meetings in Islamabad. He reportedly told mediators in Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey and Qatar that there was no consensus within the Iranian leadership on how Iran should respond to US demands. Washington is calling for a halt to uranium enrichment for at least a decade and the removal of existing stockpiles.
On the other hand, the new proposal, submitted to the US through Pakistani mediators, focuses on resolving the crisis related to the Strait of Hormuz and the US blockade. To this end, Iran is proposing to extend the truce for a long period or even conclude an agreement to end the war.
According to this phased peace plan, negotiations on the nuclear program would be started only after the reopening of the strait and the lifting of the blockade. The White House has confirmed receipt of the proposal, but it is unclear whether Washington is willing to look into it in detail.
“These are sensitive diplomatic discussions, and the United States does not negotiate through the press. As the president has said, the United States holds the books and will only make a deal that puts the interests of the American people first without allowing Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon.”said White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales.
