CAIRO (AP) — Iran has offered to end its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the United States lifting its blockade of the country and ending the war, two regional officials said Monday, while proposing that the larger issue of its nuclear program be discussed at a later stage.
US President Donald Trump appears unlikely to accept Pakistan’s offer to the Americans, leaving the differences that led to the February 28 war between the US and Israel unresolved.
With a fragile ceasefire in place, the United States and Iran are locked in a standoff in the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and gas trade passes in peacetime. The U.S. blockade is aimed at preventing Iran from selling oil, depriving it of vital revenue, while also potentially creating a situation where Tehran has nowhere to store the oil and has to shut down production.
At the same time, the closure of the strait has put pressure on Trump as oil and gasoline prices soar ahead of crucial midterm elections, and on his Gulf allies who use the waterway to export oil and natural gas.
The shutdown also has a profound impact on the entire world economy, leading to higher prices for fertilizers, food and other basic commodities.
The proposal would postpone negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program to a later date. Trump said one of his main reasons for going to war was to deny Iran the ability to develop nuclear weapons.
The two officials familiar with the proposal spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door talks between Iranian and Pakistani officials this weekend. Axios news outlet first reported Iran’s proposal.
Iran’s foreign minister is visiting Russia, which has long been Tehran’s main backer. It’s unclear what aid, if any, Moscow might now offer.
The Strait of Hormuz remains blocked
Iran’s ability to block traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, has proven to be one of its greatest strategic advantages in a war that often comes down to which side can endure more pain.
Oil prices have risen steadily since the war began, and tankers laden with crude have been stranded in the Persian Gulf, unable to safely pass through the strait to distribution points around the world.
The spot price of Brent crude, the international standard, was about $108 a barrel on Monday, nearly 50% higher than when the war began.
Negotiations between Iran’s foreign minister and the United States reach an impasse
Trump last week indefinitely extended the April 7 ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran that has essentially halted fighting. But in a war that has killed thousands, a permanent solution remains elusive.
Iran’s state-run Islamic News Agency said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in St. Petersburg on Monday morning and would later meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“This is a good opportunity for us to consult with our Russian friends on the developments related to the war during this period and what is happening now,” Araghchi said in a video interview published by the Islamic Republic News Agency.
Pakistan has been seeking to revive stalled talks between Iran and the United States, with talks expected to take place in Islamabad over the weekend. Instead, Trump canceled the envoy’s visit and suggested talks could be held by phone.
Over the weekend, Araghchi visited Pakistan twice and visited Oman, which shares the strait with Iran. He also spoke by phone with his counterparts in Qatar and Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
Iran hopes to persuade Oman to support a mechanism to charge tolls on ships passing through the strait, a regional official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter.
Oman’s response was not immediately clear.
The official involved in the mediation effort also said Iran was insisting on ending the U.S. blockade before new talks, while Pakistan-led mediators were working to bridge major differences between the two countries.
Trump says Iran had ‘better’ proposals
Trump told reporters on Saturday that Iran had made a “better” proposal after he canceled his envoy’s visit to Pakistan.
He did not elaborate but stressed that one of his conditions was that Iran “will not acquire nuclear weapons.” Iran insists its program is peaceful, but the United States wants to remove Tehran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium that could be used to make a bomb if Tehran chooses to pursue one.
Since the war began, at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran and at least 2,509 in Lebanon. Two days after the Iran-Iran war broke out, fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group resumed in Lebanon. Another 23 people were killed in Israel and a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Fifteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon, 13 U.S. troops in the region and six United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon were killed.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been extended for three weeks. Hezbollah has not participated in Washington-brokered diplomacy.
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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Bekatoros reported from Athens, Greece. Associated Press reporter Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.
