Is the war in Iran realistically coming to an end?
Iranian officials have offered a new deal to the U.S. that would immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz in an effort to bring an end to the conflict.
According to officials, Iran’s fresh proposal, sent via Pakistani mediators, would postpone nuclear negotiations to a later stage.
In the near term, the deal would see Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the U.S. ending its blockade on Iranian ports.
However, the absence of any nuclear concession could be a deal breaker. President Donald Trump has insisted that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is the single most important point for the U.S. in negotiations.
The news of Iran’s new proposal comes just hours after Trump spoke with Fox News yesterday, saying, “We have all the cards. If they want to talk, they can come to us, or they can call us.”
No official statement has been made regarding the latest proposal, but Trump is expected to hold a Situation Room meeting on Iran today with his top national security and foreign policy team, according to three U.S. officials.
One source said Trump’s team would discuss the stalemate in the negotiations and potential next steps.
During his weekend interview with Fox News, Trump signaled that he wants to continue the naval blockade that is choking off Iran’s oil exports, hoping it will get Tehran to cave in the coming weeks.
“When you have vast amounts of oil pouring through your system … if for any reason this line is closed because you can’t put it into containers or ships … what happens is that line explodes from within. … They say they only have about three days before that happens,” Trump said.
Under the new proposal, the goal would be to solve the crisis over the strait and the U.S. blockade first.
And under the new conditions, the current ceasefire would be extended for a long period, or the parties would agree on a permanent end to the war.
“These are sensitive diplomatic discussions and the U.S. will not negotiate through the press. As the president has said, the United States holds the cards and will only make a deal that puts the American people first, never allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” White House spokesperson Olivia Wales told Axios.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.