Iran has reportedly advanced a new diplomatic initiative, offering the United States a framework to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and bring an end to the war, while deferring nuclear negotiations to a later stage.

Axios cited a US official and sources familiar with the matter in confirming that Washington has received the proposal. The plan is presented as a potential breakthrough in a conflict that has dragged on with heavy casualties and global economic instability.

The offer comes at a time when peace efforts have largely stalled. President Donald Trump recently remarked that Tehran could simply “call” Washington if it wished to negotiate, while reiterating his firm stance that Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons.

The momentum for direct talks diminished further after the White House cancelled a planned visit to Islamabad by envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, a move widely interpreted as dissatisfaction with Tehran’s earlier offer.

At the centre of the impasse is the American demand that Iran halt uranium enrichment for at least ten years and relocate its nuclear stockpile abroad. Axios reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told mediators over the weekend that there was “no consensus within the Iranian leadership” on how to respond to these requirements.

The framework delivered instead proposes a two-stage plan, prioritising the maritime crisis and the US naval blockade. It envisions either a prolonged ceasefire extension or a permanent end to the war, with nuclear discussions postponed until after the strait is reopened and the blockade lifted.

Araghchi has been engaged in shuttle diplomacy, and is scheduled for further high-level talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This regional outreach contrasts with Washington’s scepticism of long-distance diplomacy.

On Sunday, Trump expressed reluctance to dispatch negotiators, stating that he saw “no point” in sending them on an 18-hour flight, adding that talks could be conducted just as well by telephone.

Although full-scale combat ceased following US-Israeli military strikes on 28 February, a formal peace treaty has yet to materialise.

The war has already caused thousands of casualties and driven significant volatility in global markets. Tehran continues to leverage its control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20 per cent of global oil passes, while the US blockade of Iranian ports has contributed to price spikes and instability.

Iran insists that Washington must first remove obstacles, particularly the naval blockade, before substantive talks can begin. Its position also includes demands for compensation, a revised legal framework governing the strait, and assurances against future military intervention.

Conversely, the US remains focused on curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions, missile development, and regional alliances. These conflicting priorities underscore the wide gaps that persist between the two sides, even as this latest proposal opens a fragile diplomatic window.

Agencies