Iran has reportedly offered to ease tensions with the United States by proposing to end its control over the Strait of Hormuz without addressing its nuclear programme, according to officials familiar with the matter.
Iran has also demanded that the United States lift its blockade of Iranian ports as part of the proposal, regional officials said on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
According to a report by news outlet Axios, the proposal outlined a framework "to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war, with nuclear negotiations postponed for a later stage." The proposal "focuses on solving the crisis over the strait and the US blockade first," the report said, citing a US official and two sources with knowledge.
The diplomatic push is being coordinated through Pakistan-led intermediaries, who are attempting to bridge wide gaps between Washington and Tehran, a regional official involved in the mediation efforts said.
The White House has reportedly received the proposal, but it is unclear whether the US is willing to explore it, Axios reported.
US President Donald Trump had earlier cancelled plans for his top envoys to travel to Islamabad for negotiations, after Iran insisted that the US first end its blockade before talks resume.
The diplomatic initiative surfaces at a time when peace efforts have largely stalled. US President Donald Trump recently remarked that Tehran could "call" Washington should it wish to negotiate, while maintaining his firm stance that Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons.
In recent days, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has been engaged in shuttle diplomacy between Pakistan and Oman, and is scheduled for further high-level talks with Vladimir Putin in Russia on Monday. This regional outreach comes as the American leadership remains sceptical of long-distance diplomacy.
On Sunday, Trump expressed his reluctance to deploy a negotiating team, stating, "I see no point of sending them (US negotiators) on an 18-hour flight in the current situation. It's too long." He further added, "We can do it just as well by telephone. The Iranians can call us if they want. We are not gonna travel just to sit there."
Despite a cessation of full-scale combat following US-Israeli military strikes on February 28, a formal peace treaty has yet to materialise. The ongoing hostilities have resulted in thousands of casualties and significant global economic instability.
Tehran continues to use its strategic position over the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for approximately 20 per cent of global oil, as leverage. Meanwhile, price of Brent crude oil jumped $2.50 a barrel early Monday as talks on ending the war with Iran stayed snagged.
Tehran has maintained that Washington must first eliminate "obstacles," most notably the naval blockade, before substantive talks can take place. The Iranian position also includes requests for "compensation," a revised "legal framework governing the strait," and assurances against future military intervention.
Conversely, the US remains focused on forcing Iran to scale back its "nuclear ambitions," missile development, and ties to regional groups. These conflicting priorities illustrate the "wide gaps" that continue to divide the two nations as they navigate this fragile diplomatic opening.
(With inputs from AP, ANI)
