- Araghchi “mentioned his plan” to postpone nuclear negotiations during the meetings in Islamabad.
- Tells mediators no consensus on how to respond to U.S. demands.
- The ceasefire can be extended or transformed into a permanent end to the war: proposal.
Iran, through Pakistani mediators, has proposed a new proposal on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the war, with nuclear negotiations postponed to a later stage, according to a US media report. Axios » reported, citing a US official and two sources with knowledge of the matter.
Hopes for a revival of peace efforts were dashed on Saturday when US President Donald Trump canceled a visit to Islamabad by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi shuttled mediators between Pakistan and Oman on Sunday before flying to Russia, with the two sides still appearing far apart on issues such as Iran’s nuclear ambitions and access through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said Iran could call if it wanted to negotiate an end to their two-month war.
“If they want to talk, they can come see us or call us. You know, there’s a phone. We have nice, secure lines,” Trump told “The Sunday Briefing” on Fox News.
“They know what the deal has to be. It’s very simple: They can’t have nuclear weapons; otherwise, there’s no reason to meet,” Trump said.
Iran has long demanded that Washington recognize its right to enrich uranium, which Tehran says it wants only for peaceful purposes, but which Western powers say is aimed at making nuclear weapons.
Although a ceasefire ended large-scale fighting in the conflict, which began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, no agreement has been reached on terms to end a war that has killed thousands, driven up oil prices, fueled inflation and darkened global growth prospects.
Axioswhile citing two informed sources, reported that the Iranian foreign minister had discussed the plan to sidestep the nuclear issue during his meetings in Islamabad.
According to one of the sources, Araghchi made it clear over the weekend to Pakistani, Egyptian, Turkish and Qatari mediators that there was no consensus among Iranian leaders on how to respond to US demands.
Under this proposal, Axios reported, the immediate focus would be on reopening the strait and lifting the blockade before moving to broader negotiations.
Under this framework, the existing ceasefire would either be extended for an extended period or transformed into a definitive end to the war, the sources said.
The proposal envisages that negotiations on the nuclear issue would only begin at a later stage, once maritime access has been restored and blockade concerns have been resolved.
The White House has received the proposal, but it remains unclear whether Washington is ready to consider or pursue this framework.
“These are sensitive diplomatic discussions and the United States will not negotiate through the press. As the president has said, the United States holds the cards and will only reach a deal that puts the American people first, without ever allowing Iran to possess nuclear weapons,” White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales told Axios.
With his approval rating declining, Trump faces domestic pressure to end this unpopular war. Iranian leaders, although weakened militarily, have found leverage in the negotiations through their ability to stop maritime traffic in the strait, which normally carries a fifth of the world’s oil shipments.
Tehran has largely closed the strait while Washington imposed a blockade of Iranian ports.
The deep disagreements between the United States and Iran
Disagreements between the United States and Iran go beyond Tehran’s nuclear program and control of the strait.
Trump wants to limit Iran’s support for its regional proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, and limit its ability to strike U.S. allies with ballistic missiles. Iran wants sanctions lifted and an end to Israeli attacks against Hezbollah.
In Lebanon, Israeli strikes killed 14 people and injured 37 on Sunday, the Health Ministry said. The Israeli military warned residents to leave seven towns beyond the “buffer zone” it occupied ahead of a ceasefire that failed to bring a complete end to hostilities.
