• Iran has delivered a phased proposal to the U.S. via regional intermediaries, including Pakistani mediators, according to sources familiar with the matter.
  • The plan calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending hostilities first, with nuclear negotiations postponed until later.
  • The White House is reviewing the proposal as President Donald Trump prepares to meet with his national security team.

Iran has reportedly sent a new proposal to the United States that would reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz—but only after an end to the conflict and guarantees it will not resume, according to people familiar with the matter. The White House is currently reviewing the offer as President Donald Trump prepares to meet his national security team.

Under the phased plan, broader talks on Iran's nuclear program and maritime navigation would come later, sources said. The proposal was delivered via regional intermediaries, including Pakistani mediators, and is being framed as a way to break the diplomatic stalemate by tackling the most immediate issues first.

Axios reported that Iran is insisting on ending the conflict before any nuclear negotiations, amid signs of internal divisions in Tehran over how much to concede. The White House position, according to people familiar with the administration's thinking, is that Trump "holds the cards" and would only accept a deal that prevents Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global chokepoint for oil and gas shipments, and any credible de-escalation plan would have immediate security and logistics consequences for regional actors and global energy flows. For oil and shipping stakeholders, the potential upside is earlier normalization of navigation through the strait, with the proposal explicitly tying reopening to lifting the blockade and reducing tensions.

The proposal aligns with prior cycles of stepped, phased diplomacy between Iran and the U.S., where negotiators attempt to sequence contentious issues to overcome deadlock. It also reflects recurring difficulties in talks where Iran's preferred order and the U.S. requirement to address nuclear weaponization risk can clash.

The fact that mediators are involved underscores that the negotiation track is being managed through regional diplomatic channels rather than direct bilateral talks alone. An Iranian official declined to comment on the record, and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.