Iran has made a new proposal to end the war in the Middle East, including a phased reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a long-term suspension of its nuclear programme, regional officials said on Monday. The proposal comes as US President Donald Trump claimed he had postponed a planned military strike on Iran to allow for serious negotiations.
Trump said in a social media post that leaders of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia had asked him to hold off on the attack, scheduled for Tuesday, because of the chance of a deal that would preclude Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He instructed military leaders to be prepared for a full-scale assault on a moment's notice.
Iran's foreign military spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, said Pakistan had shared Tehran's proposal with the US. However, a Pakistani source expressed pessimism, telling Reuters that both sides keep changing their goalposts and time is running out. Other regional officials said Iran had also offered to transfer its highly enriched uranium to Russia.
The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the US had agreed to waive sanctions on Iran's oil exports during negotiations, but there was no independent confirmation. Talks have been marked by misleading statements from all sides. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened to impose permits on internet cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz, while other Iranian officials said the waterway would remain under Iranian management, implying tolls on shipping.
Baghaei said Tehran was prepared for all scenarios, warning of an appropriate response to any mistake. Axios reported that Trump was expected to meet national security advisers on Tuesday to discuss options for resuming military action. However, Trump later said there had been a very positive development and a deal was near that would leave Iran without nuclear weapons.
Despite a ceasefire pausing most violence after six weeks of US-Israeli airstrikes and Iranian retaliation, drones have been launched from Iran towards Gulf countries hosting US military bases. One drone strike caused a fire at a nuclear power plant in the UAE, and Saudi Arabia reported intercepting three drones. Analysts say the conflict is deadlocked, with both sides facing pressure to end the war but lacking incentives for painful concessions.
