Tehran has submitted its latest proposal for negotiations with the United States to Pakistani mediators, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on Friday. The move is seen as a potential step towards breaking the diplomatic impasse in the effort to end the ongoing Iran war.
While IRNA did not disclose the specific details of the proposal, the announcement had an immediate impact on global energy markets. Oil prices, which have surged since Iran initiated a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, saw a slight decline following the report.
The blockade has currently choked off 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas supplies, while a counter-blockade by the US Navy on Iranian crude exports has further heightened fears of a global economic downturn.
The diplomatic overture comes as US President Donald Trump faces a formal deadline this Friday to either end the war or seek a congressional extension under the 1973 War Powers Resolution.
However, a senior administration official suggested the deadline may pass without significant action, asserting that the ceasefire established on April 8 effectively terminated hostilities for the purposes of the resolution.
Despite the ceasefire, the military situation remains precarious. Iran has activated its air defences in anticipation of potential strikes. Senior Iranian sources told Reuters that Tehran expects a “short, intensive” US strike, potentially followed by an Israeli attack, and has prepared a wide-scale response.
Majid Mousavi, Iran’s Aerospace Force Commander, issued a stern warning to Washington, stating that US warships could face the same fate as regional bases that were previously targeted.
Similarly, a senior Revolutionary Guards official warned that any new US attack would trigger “long and painful strikes” against American positions in the region.
In Washington, President Trump is reportedly weighing several options. These include a military plan to use ground forces to seize parts of the Strait of Hormuz to forcibly reopen it to commercial shipping.
The US is also seeking to form a “Maritime Freedom Construct” to safeguard navigation. While nations such as Britain and France have held discussions regarding the coalition, they have indicated they will only contribute once the conflict has concluded.
The proposal has been met with deep scepticism by regional neighbours. Anwar Gargash, a presidential adviser for the UAE, stated that “no unilateral Iranian arrangements can be trusted” following what he described as “treacherous aggression” against its neighbours.
He emphasised that international law and collective international will must remain the primary guarantors of freedom of navigation.
On the economic front, President Trump reiterated on Thursday that the price of gasoline would “drop like a rock” once the war ends, while maintaining that Iran would never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon.
Tehran continues to assert that its nuclear programme is strictly for civilian purposes. Although the conflict has severely aggravated Iran’s domestic economic struggles, analysts suggest the country currently remains capable of surviving the Gulf standoff.
