By The Opinion
Donald Trump held a meeting this Monday with his National Security team to discuss Iran’s new proposal to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz. and postpone negotiations on its nuclear program, as confirmed by the White House.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained that “the proposal was being discussed” during the meeting. However, he qualified the scope of the analysis: “I wouldn’t say that they are considering it. I would simply say that this morning there was a conversation that I don’t want to get ahead of,” he said at a press conference. Likewise, he stressed that “the president’s red lines regarding Iran have been made very, very clear.”
The Iranian approach arises in a context of strong escalation after the military offensive launched on February 28 by the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic. Trump’s stated goals include preventing Tehran from gaining access to a nuclear weapon, a stance that has been consistent in American foreign policy since his exit from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal during his first term.
The conflict has had devastating consequences. According to the information available, it has caused the death of the Iranian supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, as well as part of the country’s military leadership, thousands of victims in Iran and Lebanon, as well as the loss of at least thirteen US military personnel. Added to this is the interruption of transit in the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil circulates, which has generated concern in global energy markets (International Energy Agency, historical context).
In this scenario, Last week, Trump extended the ceasefire with Tehran indefinitely with the aim of facilitating dialogue. However, negotiations remain stalled after the president canceled the trip of his envoys to Pakistan, where a second round of talks was planned.
The new Iranian proposal was revealed by the media outlet Axios, which cited sources with direct knowledge of the matter. According to that report, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchí, is promoting an idea that seeks to “avoid the nuclear issue” in the early phases of the dialogue.
The offer includes a prolonged extension of the ceasefire or even a definitive agreement to end the war. In exchange, Iran proposes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the blockade imposed by Washington on its coasts, leaving nuclear negotiations for a later stage.
Keep reading:
- War in Iran shoots up fuel prices and forces airlines to cut forecasts
- Who is making the decisions in Iran?
- Trump stops travel to Pakistan of envoys who would talk with Iran
