Iran has sent Washington a proposal suggesting that the Hormuz Strait be reopened first, followed by a ceasefire, with nuclear negotiations to resume at a later stage, according to a report from a political news outlet.
The proposal was relayed to the White House through Pakistani intermediaries, citing government officials and sources familiar with the matter. The idea is to set aside the contentious nuclear issue temporarily and prioritize ending the naval blockade in Hormuz—a chokepoint critical to the global economy—and reaching a ceasefire agreement to break the current deadlock.
Analysts view this as a tactical move designed to restart stalled talks while sidestepping domestic opposition within Iran over nuclear concessions. Iranian leadership is divided between hardliners and moderates in negotiations with Washington. Hardliners are reportedly strongly opposed to even discussing nuclear matters at the negotiating table.
However, it remains unclear whether the U.S. is willing to seriously consider this phased approach. Washington has been demanding that Iran halt uranium enrichment for at least a decade and remove already enriched uranium from the country.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister met with the Sultan of Oman on the same day. Oman has previously mediated nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran, right up until the recent military escalations.