US President Donald Trump is dissatisfied with Iran’s latest proposal to resolve the ongoing two-month war, according to a US official, dimming hopes for a swift end to a conflict that has disrupted energy supplies, driven inflation, and resulted in thousands of deaths.
Iran’s recent proposal suggests postponing discussions on its nuclear programme until after the war ends and maritime disputes in the Gulf are settled.
This approach is unlikely to satisfy Washington, which insists that nuclear issues be addressed from the outset. A US official, speaking anonymously after a Monday meeting between Trump and his advisers, confirmed that the president rejected the proposal on these grounds.
White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales stated that the United States “will not negotiate through the press” and emphasized that the administration has clearly defined its red lines as it continues its war effort against Iran, launched in February in coordination with Israel.
A previous agreement in 2015 between Iran and several global powers, including the US, had significantly limited Iran’s nuclear programme, which Tehran has consistently said is for peaceful civilian use. However, the deal collapsed after Trump withdrew from it during his first term in office.
Prospects for renewed diplomacy have further weakened after Trump cancelled a planned visit to Islamabad by his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner. The trip was expected to coincide with shuttle diplomacy by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who visited Islamabad twice over the weekend.
Araqchi also travelled to Oman and later to Russia, where he met President Vladimir Putin and received expressions of support from a longstanding ally.
Oil prices rise again
With both sides still far apart, oil prices have resumed rising, continuing gains during early Asian trading on Tuesday.
“For oil traders, it’s no longer about rhetoric but the actual physical flow of crude through the Strait of Hormuz, and that flow remains restricted,” said Fawad Razaqzada, a market analyst at City Index and FOREX.com.
Recent ship-tracking data shows that at least six tankers carrying Iranian oil were forced back by the US blockade, highlighting the war’s impact on maritime traffic.
Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the US actions, describing the seizure of Iran-linked tankers as “a blatant legalisation of piracy and armed robbery on the high seas” in a social media statement.
Before the war, between 125 and 140 ships passed daily through the Strait of Hormuz. That number has now dropped dramatically to just seven vessels in the past day, none of which were transporting oil for global markets, according to Kpler and SynMax data.
Facing declining approval ratings, Trump is also under increasing domestic pressure to bring the conflict to an end, amid criticism over shifting justifications for the war.
Araqchi, speaking in Russia, claimed that Trump had sought negotiations because the US had failed to achieve its objectives.
Senior Iranian officials revealed that the proposal presented in Islamabad outlines a phased negotiation process, beginning with an end to the US-Israel war and guarantees preventing its resumption.
The next stage would focus on resolving the US naval blockade of Iranian trade and determining the future of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran aims to reopen under its control.
Only after these steps would discussions move to broader issues, including the long-standing dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme, with Tehran continuing to seek US recognition of its right to enrich uranium.