The United States has received Iran's new negotiation proposal

According to the U.S. news website Axios, on the 26th, an American official and two people with knowledge of the matter said that the U.S. has received a new negotiating proposal from Iran that was relayed through Pakistan. Axios reported that Iran’s new negotiating proposal is broadly similar to the three-stage negotiating framework for Iran disclosed earlier by Lebanon’s “Square” TV station. The three stages of negotiations, in sequence, focus on ending the war, the matter of the Strait of Hormuz, and nuclear talks.

Axios reported, citing two sources, that Iran’s new negotiating proposal first focuses on addressing the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. blockade. As part of the proposal, the ceasefire will be extended long-term, or the parties will agree to permanently end the fighting. The report said that nuclear talks will only begin after the Strait of Hormuz is reopened and the U.S. blockade is lifted.

The report said that Iranian Foreign Minister Alaraghi discussed this new proposal with the Pakistani side in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital. Over the weekend, Alaraghi made it clear to Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar that Iran’s leadership has not yet reached a consensus on how to respond to the U.S. demands for a long-term halt to uranium enrichment and to export enriched uranium out of Iran.

The report also cited relevant sources as saying that U.S. President Trump is expected to hold a meeting on the 27th with his national security and foreign policy team regarding the Iran issue. One official said the meeting is expected to discuss the current deadlock in negotiations with Iran, as well as potential response options for the next phase of Iran’s fighting.

Earlier on the 26th, Trump said that if Iran wants to end the war between the two countries through negotiations, it can take the initiative to contact the U.S. “If they want to talk, they can come to us, or give us a call.” ( Xinhua News Agency )