ISLAMABAD, MAY 2: Iran has put forward a revised proposal to the United States aimed at reviving stalled negotiations, signalling greater flexibility while indicating readiness to resume talks in Pakistan as early as next week if Washington responds positively, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
Four weeks since the US and Israel suspended their bombing campaign against Iran, no deal has been reached to end the war that has caused the biggest disruption ever to global energy supplies.
Iran has been blocking nearly all shipping from the Gulf apart from its own for more than two months. Last month, the Trump administration imposed its own blockade of ships from Iranian ports.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he was “not satisfied” with Iran’s latest proposal, without spelling out in detail which elements he opposes.
“They’re asking for things that I can’t agree to,” he told reporters at the White House.
Washington has repeatedly said it will not end the war without a deal that prevents Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon, the primary aim Trump cited when he launched the strikes in February in the midst of nuclear talks. Iran says its nuclear programme is peaceful.
The WSJ, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that the new Iranian proposal takes a step towards the US by offering to discuss Tehran’s conditions for opening the Strait of Hormuz at the same time as US guarantees to end its attacks and unwind its blockade of Iranian ports.
This marks a shift from Iran’s earlier stance, which required the removal of the blockade and agreement on ending the war as preconditions before any broader talks.
The proposal further suggests that negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme would take place at a later stage, in exchange for relief from US sanctions, the report stated.
Iran has indicated to mediators that it would be ready to sit down for talks in Pakistan by early next week if Washington is open to the new proposal, it added.
Iranian state media confirmed that the proposal had been submitted to mediators and said Tehran remains open to diplomacy if Washington moderates its rhetoric.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while the White House declined to discuss details of the proposal.
“We do not detail private diplomatic conversations. President Trump has been clear that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon, and negotiations continue to ensure the short- and long-term national security of the United States,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said.
The latest development follows weeks of deadlock after Iran declined to participate in an anticipated second round of talks in Pakistan, with both sides instead escalating economic pressure in the region.
US officials said President Trump has instructed aides to prepare for a prolonged blockade, as the standoff continues to impact Iran’s trade while keeping global oil prices elevated.
Despite the new proposal, Iran has maintained that it is unwilling to make major concessions on its nuclear programme. In an earlier plan, Tehran insisted that discussions on its nuclear file would only begin after issues related to the Strait and the war were resolved.
Washington, however, continues to push for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment for up to 20 years and surrender its stockpile of highly enriched material, a demand Tehran has resisted.
Even amid tensions, both sides have continued indirect communication through intermediaries including Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye.
While neither has ruled out negotiations, a potential meeting in Pakistan last week did not materialise after Tehran did not confirm participation, prompting the US to withhold sending senior officials. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had visited Islamabad twice during that period.
