Published On 4/28/2026
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Last update: 15:16 (Mecca time)
New information reported by American media from officials revealed details of the new Iranian proposal that Tehran presented to Washington to end the war, which the American administration is still studying.
The Wall Street Journal quoted informed officials as saying that the latest Iranian proposal presents a vision for a peace plan consisting of three stages, the first stage of which requires the United States and Israel to end their war on Iran, while providing guarantees that it will not resume in the future.
According to Wall Street Journal sources, the proposal, presented by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the beginning of the week, aims to break the stalemate in the conflict and advance negotiations. Under this proposal, discussions regarding Iran’s nuclear program will be postponed to a later stage.
According to the aforementioned sources, Iran has offered to stop its attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, in exchange for a comprehensive end to the war and the lifting of the American blockade imposed on Iranian ports.
According to the officials, Tehran proposed that mediators in the second phase address the issue of closing the Strait of Hormuz and help reach an agreement on managing the waterway.
Iranian officials also informed the mediators that Tehran still aspires to keep the Strait under its control, and that once this is achieved, it will begin negotiations on its nuclear program and other issues, including its financing of factions loyal to it in the region, which is the third stage of the Iranian proposal.
Washington’s position on the proposal
Reports indicate that the new Iranian proposal was not welcomed by the US administration. The New York Times quoted sources as saying that US President Donald Trump informed his advisors of his dissatisfaction with Tehran’s proposal, indicating that accepting the proposal might deprive Trump of achieving victory in the war.
CNN also quoted two sources as saying that Trump presented his views during his meeting with senior national security officials regarding the Iranian file, after receiving the Iranian proposal.
Another source confirmed to the network that “Trump is unlikely to accept the Iranian proposal,” while American officials considered that reopening the Strait of Hormuz – without settling the enrichment issues – could cause Washington to lose an essential pressure tool in the negotiations, according to the source.
In turn, Reuters quoted an American official as saying that President Trump is not satisfied with a proposal presented by Iran because it does not address its nuclear program, noting that Trump had discussed the proposal – earlier – with his senior national security advisors.
According to what CNN reported from its sources, the ongoing talks are focused on reaching an interim agreement, and the first part – of any potential agreement – will focus on returning to the status quo before the war.
CNN added that the mediators are putting pressure on both sides to reach an agreement, “considering the next few days very crucial for the course of diplomatic efforts.”
The sources also made it clear that Washington and Tehran are not as far apart in their positions as it might seem, although a second round of direct talks between them has not yet been held in Pakistan.
The nuclear file obstacle
In turn, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated in an interview with Fox News – in response to a question about the recent Iranian proposal to postpone discussions on its nuclear program in exchange for opening the Strait of Hormuz – that the main issue is still preventing Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon.
“I have no doubt that at some point in the future, if this extreme religious regime remains in power, it will decide to pursue a nuclear weapon,” Rubio said. He added: “This fundamental issue still needs to be confronted, as it is still the fundamental issue here.”
When asked whether he believes the Iranians are serious about reaching an agreement, Rubio said they are skilled negotiators who seek to stall and buy time. He added: “We cannot let them get away with this. We must ensure that any agreement reached is one that decisively prevents them from rushing towards possessing a nuclear weapon at any time.”
Axios: Trump is considering two options
Later, Axios said that Trump is considering options ranging from carrying out new military strikes or waiting for the results of economic pressure on Iran.
The website quoted American officials concerned about Washington sliding into a frozen conflict, characterized by the absence of resolution.
Axios also pointed out – quoting a Trump advisor – that the president seems frustrated, but he is dealing realistically and does not want to use force, while stressing at the same time that he will not back down. The advisor added that the Iranian leadership – from his point of view – only responds to military pressure.
The website quoted sources as saying that Trump’s senior advisors prefer to maintain the blockade and impose more sanctions before returning to the bombing option, while Trump is consulting with extremist figures outside his administration who advise him to take military measures to break the current stalemate.
Iranian concern due to the blockade
The New York Times quoted informed Iranian officials as saying that Araqchi had delivered the new proposal to Pakistan, after President Trump rejected an initial proposal the previous day.
The New York Times added that Iran made clear – in its new proposal – its intention to invest financially in the Strait of Hormuz after its opening, by imposing transit fees or providing services to oil tankers.
Iranian officials told the newspaper that Tehran wants to return to negotiations with Washington because the current situation is unsustainable, but only after the naval blockade is lifted.
Officials indicated that there are fears that stocks of basic foodstuffs will run out within a few weeks. They also reported that the government has already begun implementing emergency plans that adopt alternative routes, including transporting goods by truck via Pakistan and Turkey, and shipping smaller quantities from Russia via the Caspian Sea.
It is noteworthy that the United States has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports since April 13 to pressure Tehran to make concessions, which led to the collapse of the talks between the two sides.
