Iran Proposed Ceasefire Before Nuclear Talks; Trump Rejected It

Reuters reports Iran’s latest negotiating proposal

Trump says it was “not satisfactory”

Iran proposed to the US that it first reopen the Strait of Hormuz and secure a ceasefire before moving to negotiations over its nuclear program, but President Donald Trump rejected the offer, Reuters reported.

Reuters, citing an unnamed senior Iranian official on May 2, said the proposal would end the war if Israel and the US guaranteed they would not attack Iran again. Under the plan, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the US would lift its maritime blockade.

After a ceasefire deal, Iran proposed talks on limiting its nuclear program in exchange for US sanctions relief, the official said. Tehran also asked Washington to recognize its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes even if it stops uranium enrichment.

The official told Reuters that pushing nuclear talks to a later stage marked a significant shift by Iran aimed at speeding a ceasefire agreement with the US.

Trump said a day earlier that Iran’s latest proposal was “not satisfactory” without elaborating. “It includes demands that I cannot accept.” The US also prefers a package deal covering Iran’s nuclear and missile programs rather than phased negotiations, leaving the two sides far from an agreement.

Axios reported on April 27 that Iran had sent the US, through Pakistan, a proposal to first reopen the Strait of Hormuz and declare an end to the war before continuing nuclear talks. After that report, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing that “the president’s red line regarding Iran is very clear.”

Park Su-rim, Hankyung.com reporter paksr365@hankyung.com