Iran has fundamentally reframed the path to ending the war, proposing that the United States and its allies resolve the immediate military crisis before addressing the nuclear issues that triggered the conflict.

The proposal, conveyed through Pakistani intermediaries, would establish a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz first. Only after those disputes are settled and the military standoff becomes permanent would negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program begin. The approach represents a stark departure from U.S. efforts to link the military and nuclear dimensions of the conflict.

“These are sensitive diplomatic discussions and the U.S. will not negotiate through the press,” White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said in response to the Iranian proposal, without confirming whether Washington would consider it.

The timing is significant. Trump is scheduled to hold a Situation Room meeting Monday with senior national security and foreign policy officials to discuss the deadlocked talks and chart next steps, suggesting the administration views the Iranian proposal as substantial enough to warrant high-level deliberation.

The Iranian plan poses a problem for U.S. negotiators. Suspending uranium enrichment for at least a decade and removing enriched uranium from Iranian territory are two of President Donald Trump’s stated war objectives. Once a ceasefire is in place and the military pressure eases, Iran would have less incentive to make those concessions.

Iran’s proposal effectively asks the United States to accept that constraint. Sources familiar with the negotiations told Axios that Iran’s leadership lacks internal consensus on what nuclear concessions it can offer, suggesting Tehran wants time to sort out its position while the guns are silent.

The diplomatic impasse hardened over the weekend when Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Pakistan without achieving a breakthrough.

The White House had indicated that Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would travel to Islamabad to meet Araghchi. Trump canceled the trip, citing Iran’s negotiating position. Araghchi proceeded instead to hold talks with Omani officials in Muscat about the Strait of Hormuz before returning to Pakistan. He was expected to fly Monday to Moscow for discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During his time in Islamabad, Araghchi presented the phased approach to Iranian counterparts and U.S. contacts. One source told Axios that Araghchi acknowledged Iran’s divided leadership over nuclear concessions, effectively signaling that Tehran was not prepared to commit to terms on uranium enrichment.

Pakistan, which has served as the diplomatic middleman in these talks, offered no public comment. Spokespeople for both Pakistan’s military and Foreign Ministry declined to address the proposal or the status of negotiations.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)