Iran has presented a new proposal to the United States aimed at reviving stalled negotiations to end the ongoing conflict, offering indications of compromise amid mounting economic pressures. Despite this development, significant differences remain between the two countries over critical issues, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program.
According to individuals familiar with the matter, Tehran’s latest offer includes a willingness to discuss the conditions under which the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened concurrently with U.S. commitments to cease attacks and lift its blockade on Iranian ports. Previously, Iran had insisted that Washington must first end its blockade before engaging in talks or discussing terms related to the strait or its nuclear activities.
The proposal also suggests that discussions on Iran’s nuclear program be linked to potential relief from U.S. sanctions. Tehran has indicated to mediators that it is ready to meet in Pakistan as early as next week, provided Washington is open to this framework. Richard Nephew, a former senior U.S. negotiator on Iran and current Columbia University fellow, noted that the proposal “aligns everyone’s incentives,” by enabling both sides to gain limited economic relief while deferring more contentious issues that have previously hindered talks.
Iranian state media confirmed the submission of the new proposal and emphasized Tehran’s willingness to return to diplomatic negotiations if the United States softens its rhetoric. The Iranian Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for further comment, while the White House declined to provide details, reiterating that President Trump remains firm in preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly stated that discussions are ongoing to safeguard U.S. national security interests in the short and long term.
The diplomatic outreach follows a prolonged stalemate that saw Iran boycott a scheduled second round of talks in Pakistan last week. Meanwhile, both sides have engaged in an escalating economic and military contest. Tehran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz by launching attacks on tankers and other vessels, disrupting a critical shipping route that carries about 20% of the world’s oil. In response, the United States implemented a blockade on Iranian ports and ships last month, aiming to cut off Tehran’s primary foreign revenue source and pressure it in negotiations. U.S. officials have indicated preparations for a potentially extended blockade are underway.
These maneuvers have limited Iran’s trade but have also kept global oil prices, as measured by Brent crude futures, above $100 per barrel. Iran has maintained a firm stance on its nuclear program, rejecting U.S. demands to halt fuel enrichment for up to two decades and to surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Tehran also refuses to negotiate restrictions on its ballistic missile program.
Despite the ongoing impasse, communication continues through intermediaries in countries including Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey. However, plans for a direct U.S.-Iran meeting in Pakistan last month fell apart after Iran declined to confirm participation, leading President Trump to cancel the deployment of senior aides to the talks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made two visits to Islamabad as part of these efforts.
Most recently, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control advised shipowners against paying tolls to Iran for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, whether directly or through indirect means such as donations to Iranian organizations like the Iranian Red Crescent Society.