Iran offers new path to end war in proposal to US - Axios

According to the publication, the proposal submitted to the US via Pakistani intermediaries is primarily aimed at resolving the crisis over the strait and the American blockade. Specifically:

• Under this agreement, the ceasefire could be extended for a long period, or the parties could agree on a final end to the war;
• According to the proposal, nuclear negotiations would only begin at a later stage, after the strait is opened or the blockade is lifted.

As Axios reports, the White House has received the proposal, but it is not yet clear whether the US is ready to consider it.

"These are sensitive diplomatic discussions and the U.S. will not negotiate through the press. As the president has said, the United States holds the cards and will only make a deal that puts the American people first, never allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon," White House press spokesperson Olivia Wales told the publication.

Negotiations were derailed

The crisis in US-Iran talks deepened this weekend after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's visit to Pakistan ended without any progress.

Specifically, the White House announced that Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would meet with Araghchi in Islamabad, but the Iranians did not give a clear answer. Against this backdrop, Donald Trump told Axios that Iran's position led him to cancel the trip.

"I see no point of sending them on an 18-hour flight in the current situation. It's too long. 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," the US president explained.

On Sunday, Araghchi held talks with Omani officials in Muscat dedicated to the Strait of Hormuz. After that, he returned to Islamabad for a second round of talks.

Today, Monday, Araghchi will be in Moscow and will meet with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin. Although some Russian media write that he has already arrived in Russia.

In addition, according to two sources, during meetings in Islamabad, the Iranian Foreign Minister raised the possibility of bypassing the nuclear issue.

Over the weekend, Araghchi made it clear to Pakistani, Egyptian, Turkish, and Qatari mediators that there is no consensus within Iran's leadership on how to respond to the US demand. As is known, Washington wants Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment for at least a decade and to remove enriched uranium from the country.

What Trump plans to do

According to three American officials, Trump plans to hold a Situation Room meeting on Iran on Monday with his national security and foreign policy team.

One source said that Trump's team will discuss the impasse in negotiations and possible next steps.

The day before, the US president told Fox News that he wants to continue the naval blockade that cuts off Iranian oil exports. He hopes this will force Tehran to make concessions within the next few weeks.

"When you have vast amounts of oil pouring through your system ... if for any reason this line is closed because you can't put it into containers or ships ... what happens is that line explodes from within. ... They say they only have about three days before that happens," Trump said.

What else is known

A few days ago, US President Donald Trump said he would not use nuclear weapons against Iran. He dismissed the idea in response to a question from journalists at the White House.

The blockade against Iran could bring the US an unexpected profit and benefit thanks to the so-called prize court law, which has not been used since World War II. But at the same time, the US is not the only one that could take advantage of this convenient moment.