Iran transmitted a new proposal to the Trump administration offering to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the ongoing conflict in exchange for the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports, while deferring nuclear negotiations to a later phase. The proposal was relayed through Pakistani mediators, citing a U.S. official and two sources with knowledge of the matter. The strait, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which approximately one-fifth of all traded oil and natural gas passes, has been at the center of a maritime standoff since a ceasefire between Iran and the United States and Israel entered into effect on April 8. Days after the ceasefire began, President Donald Trump announced a blockade on Iranian ports and ships, restricting Tehran's ability to export oil and cutting off a crucial source of its revenue.
The White House signaled it was unreceptive. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump and his national security team reviewed the proposal during a Situation Room meeting on Monday [POLITICO][15-22], but said the administration was not actively considering it [POLITICO]. Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized Iran's latest offer as looking "better" than prior proposals, but stopped short of endorsing it. Rubio stated that Iran's nuclear ambitions remain the central issue in any negotiations, and expressed concern that without restraints on Tehran's program, a future Iranian leadership could pursue nuclear weapons capability. A separate White House statement, attributed to spokesperson Anna Kelly, said U.S. negotiators "continue to engage with the Iranians" but that the president "will only enter into an agreement that puts U.S. national security first" and "will not be rushed into making a bad deal."
The structural problem with Iran's proposal is the sequencing it demands. Lifting the blockade and ending the war would remove Trump's leverage in any future talks to eliminate Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium and convince Tehran to suspend enrichment, two primary stated war objectives for the administration. The absence of any nuclear concession is particularly significant given Trump's insistence that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is the single most important objective for the United States in these negotiations. The administration's position echoes the same demand that torpedoed pre-war diplomacy: during earlier nuclear negotiations, the Trump administration pressed Iran to completely dismantle its nuclear and missile programs, a demand Iran refused. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, from which the first Trump administration withdrew in 2018, had imposed enrichment limits in exchange for sanctions relief but did not require full dismantlement, leaving the underlying dispute unresolved.
The diplomatic breakdown also reflects a breakdown in direct access. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Islamabad to present the latest proposal to Pakistani mediators but refused to meet directly with U.S. officials. The White House had announced that envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would meet Araghchi in Islamabad, but the Iranians were noncommittal. Trump subsequently posted on Truth Social that he was canceling his envoys' trip, citing too much time wasted on travel. Pakistan has emerged as the leading mediator in efforts to end the conflict, with an initial round of negotiations held in its capital earlier this month.
Araghchi then pivoted to Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Araghchi on Monday, with the two countries reaffirming their strategic ties and pledging to work together amid Tehran's war with the United States and Israel. Araghchi said Iran was reassessing how to proceed with diplomacy, citing U.S. and Israeli military action and what he described as Washington's "destructive habits," including insisting on "unreasonable demands" and frequently changing positions. The Kremlin has separately proposed taking custody of Iran's enriched uranium for storage or reprocessing on Russian soil, a move that could theoretically satisfy a core U.S. demand, but Trump reportedly rejected the offer, preferring not to augment Moscow's leverage in the nuclear energy sector. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer separately announced that Democrats will force a vote on a War Powers Resolution to end Trump's military campaign in Iran as the conflict reaches its 60-day mark.
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References:
[1] Axios. (2026, April 27). Iran offers US deal to reopen Hormuz strait, postpone nuclear talks. https://www.axios.com/2026/04/27/iran-us-hormuz-strait-nuclear-talks-proposal-pakistan
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