#IranProposesHormuzStraitReopeningTerms Iran Proposes Phased Deal to Reopen Strait of Hormuz, Demands End to US Blockade

Tehran/Washington, D.C. – In a significant diplomatic move aimed at breaking the two-month-long deadlock, Iran has formally submitted a new three-stage proposal to the United States offering to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz. In exchange, Tehran is demanding an end to the US naval blockade and a halt to the war .

The proposal, reportedly delivered through Pakistani intermediaries, seeks to decouple the immediate maritime crisis from the more complex nuclear standoff, postponing discussions on Iran’s nuclear program to a later phase .

A Three-Stage Framework

According to reports by Axios and Al Mayadeen, the Iranian plan outlines a sequential process designed to rebuild trust:

1. Ceasefire & Security Guarantees: The first phase focuses on ending "US-Israeli aggression" and securing binding guarantees against any future military attacks on Iran or its allies, particularly Lebanon. Iran insists it will discuss no other issues until this stage is finalized .
2. Reopening the Strait: In the second stage, talks would shift to the "management of the Strait of Hormuz." Iran proposes establishing a new legal framework for the waterway, potentially involving Oman as a coordinator, in exchange for the US lifting its blockade on Iranian ports .
3. Nuclear Negotiations: Only after agreements on the first two phases are implemented would Tehran be willing to sit down for technical discussions regarding its nuclear program—a direct contradiction of Washington’s current demand to address the uranium enrichment issue immediately .

Global Economic Pressure Mounts

The standoff over the strait, through which approximately 20% of globally traded oil passes, has caused severe turbulence in energy markets. Brent crude prices have surged nearly 50% since the conflict began on February 28, trading near $108 per barrel . This has led to soaring gasoline prices in the US ahead of crucial midterm elections, while also driving up the cost of food and fertilizer worldwide .

The United Nations has joined dozens of nations in demanding the waterway be reopened. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the crisis is leading to "empty fuel tanks, empty shelves—and empty plates," while thousands of seafarers remain stranded in the Gulf .

US Response: Skepticism and Red Lines

While the White House confirmed it is reviewing the written messages sent by Tehran, US officials have met the proposal with deep skepticism.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the offer as "more constructive than expected" but questioned Tehran’s good faith. He firmly rejected Iran’s attempt to delay nuclear talks, stating that any deal "must definitively prevent them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point" .

President Donald Trump, who faces a May 1 deadline to seek congressional authorization for further military action, has maintained a hard line. The US currently insists that Iran halt uranium enrichment for at least ten years and move its nuclear stockpile abroad. Washington has also rejected any suggestion of paying "transit fees" to Iran for passage through the strait, with Rubio insisting, "They cannot normalise a system where the Iranians decide who gets to use an international waterway" .

Regional Diplomacy Intensifies

As diplomatic efforts stall, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has embarked on a high-stakes diplomatic tour. After meetings in Pakistan and Oman, Araghchi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg to align strategies. Putin described the Iran-Russia relationship as a "strategic partnership" and promised to work toward restoring regional stability .