Iran has offered to end its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. lifts its blockade on the country and ends the war in a proposal that would postpone discussions on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, two regional officials said Monday.
U.S. President Donald Trump seems unlikely to accept the offer, which was passed to the Americans by Pakistan and would leave unresolved the disagreements that led the U.S. and Israel to go to war on Feb. 28.
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With a fragile ceasefire in place, the U.S. and Iran are locked in a standoff over the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas passes in peacetime. The U.S blockade is designed to prevent Iran from selling its oil, depriving it of crucial revenue while also potentially creating a situation where Tehran has to shut off production because it has nowhere to store oil.
The strait’s closure, meanwhile, has put pressure on Trump, as oil and gasoline prices have skyrocketed ahead of crucial midterm elections, and it has pressured his Gulf allies, which use the waterway to export their oil and gas.
The closure has also had far-reaching effects throughout the world economy, raising the price of fertilizer, food and other basic goods.
The Iranian proposal would push negotiations on the country's nuclear program to a later date. Trump said one of the major reasons he went to war was to deny Iran the ability to develop nuclear weapons.
The two officials with knowledge of the proposal spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations between Iranian and Pakistani officials this weekend. Iran's proposal was first reported by the Axios news outlet.
The offer emerged as Iran’s foreign minister visited Russia, which has long been a key backer of Tehran. It’s unclear what, if any, assistance Moscow might offer now.
Strait of Hormuz is still blocked
Iran’s ability to choke off traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, has proved one of its biggest strategic advantages in a war that has often boiled down to which side can take more pain.
Oil prices have risen steadily since the war began, and tankers full of crude became stranded in the Gulf, unable to safely pass through the strait to reach global distribution points.
On Monday, the spot price of Brent crude, the international standard, was trading at around $108 per barrel, nearly 50% higher than when the war began.
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U.S. allies question efforts in Iran
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday criticized the U.S. for going into the war with what he said was no strategy.
“The problem with conflicts like these is always the same: It’s not just about getting in. You also have to get out,” Merz said.
Iranians are stronger than previously thought at negotiating, he said, making it hard to end the conflict now.
“Letting the Americans travel to Islamabad, only to send them back without any results. An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership,” Merz said.
Stephen Doughty, the United Kingdom's minister of state for Europe and North America, said while the U.K. does not support the U.S. blockade, it supports working with the U.S. and others to reopen the strait.
De-escalation and a ceasefire are also crucial, he said, stressing that Iran cannot be allowed to block the strait, attack its Gulf neighbors and develop nuclear weapons.
