May 2 - A senior Iranian official said on Saturday that Tehran has presented a proposal - now rejected by U.S. President Donald Trump - that would reopen shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and see the United States lift its blockade of Iranian ports, while deferring detailed discussions on Iran's nuclear programme to a later stage.
Four weeks since the United States and Israel suspended their bombing campaign against Iran, the official said, no accord has been reached to end a conflict that has produced the largest disruption on record to global energy supplies. The senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential diplomacy, described the proposal as a significant tactical change intended to ease the path to a broader settlement.
Under the terms outlined by the Iranian official, an end to hostilities would be accompanied by assurances that Israel and the United States would not resume attacks, and Iran would in turn reopen the strait to commercial shipping. In exchange, the United States would remove the blockade it imposed last month on vessels from Iranian ports.
The official said the more contentious matter of limitations on Iran's nuclear programme would be pushed to a later phase of negotiations. Those future talks would address curbs on Iran's nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief. Tehran would press Washington to recognise Iran's right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, even if Iran agreed to suspend enrichment as part of a wider settlement.
"Under this framework, negotiations over the more complicated nuclear issue have been moved to the final stage to create a more conducive atmosphere," the official said.
President Trump said on Friday that he was "not satisfied" with Iran's latest proposal, without detailing which aspects he found unacceptable. "They're asking for things that I can't agree to," he told reporters at the White House.
Washington has repeatedly stated it will not agree to end the war without a deal that prevents Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon, a key rationale the president cited when he authorised strikes in February amid stalled nuclear talks. Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful.
The senior Iranian official confirmed that Tehran had formalised the timeline change in a proposal conveyed to the United States through mediators, noting that previous media accounts over the past week had indicated that reopening the strait could precede resolution of nuclear issues.
Summary of key developments
- Tehran offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept lifting of the U.S. blockade in exchange for guarantees not to be attacked and postponement of nuclear negotiations.
- President Trump said he is "not satisfied" with the proposal and indicated there are elements he cannot accept.
- The proposal has been transmitted to Washington via mediators; no comprehensive deal has been reached to end the war and restore global energy shipments.
Key points
- The proposal separates immediate security and shipping arrangements from later, more complex nuclear talks - a sequencing intended to create a more favourable negotiation environment. Affected sectors include shipping, maritime insurance, and energy markets that depend on Gulf transit.
- Both the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and Iran's near-total restriction on Gulf shipping have been central obstacles to restoring normal trade flows. Energy and shipping industries remain directly impacted.
- Washington maintains a non-negotiable stance on preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, shaping its response to any sequencing proposal.
Risks and uncertainties
- Uncertainty over whether Washington will accept a phased approach could prolong disruption to oil and gas shipments, affecting energy supply chains and commodity markets.
- Absent mutual guarantees against renewed attacks, confidence among commercial shippers may remain low, keeping maritime insurance costs and freight rates elevated.
- The timing and outcome of the postponed nuclear negotiations are unclear; failure to reach a later settlement could reopen broader hostilities and further destabilise markets.