Dubai: The Trump administration appears unlikely to accept Iran’s proposal to end the ongoing conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the lifting of US restrictions, without addressing Tehran’s nuclear programme.
The proposal, delivered to Washington through Pakistan, suggests postponing discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that such a condition would not be acceptable, stressing that any agreement must prevent Iran from advancing towards a nuclear weapon.
“We have to ensure that any deal that is made, any agreement that is made, is one that definitively prevents them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point,” Rubio said in a Fox News interview.
The White House said President Donald Trump’s national security team had discussed the offer and that he would respond later.
The proposal surfaced during Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s visit to Russia, a long-time ally of Tehran. It remains unclear what role Moscow may play in the developments.
Since the conflict began, at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran and 2,521 in Lebanon, where fighting involving Israel and Hezbollah resumed shortly after the Iran conflict escalated. Casualties also include 23 deaths in Israel, over a dozen in Gulf Arab states, 16 Israeli soldiers in Lebanon, 13 US service members in the region and six UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.
A study by aid group Mercy Corps has found that 96 per cent of Gaza’s cropland is damaged or inaccessible due to the war between Hamas and Israel, with only 7 per cent of agricultural infrastructure still functional. It warned that destruction of water systems, rising salinity and wastewater contamination are worsening the food crisis and could delay recovery for years if restrictions and contamination persist.
The Gaza war began after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, with an October ceasefire temporarily halting heavy fighting.
US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker said Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz should serve as a warning for global energy security, urging diversification of supply chains and reduced dependence on unstable regions.
“There is a need to secure our supply chains,” she said in Croatia, calling Iran’s conduct in the Strait of Hormuz a “wake-up call”.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remains the central issue, accusing Tehran of attempting to delay progress through negotiations.
“We can’t let them get away with it,” he said, stressing that any agreement must permanently block Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon.
With PTI inputs