Iran says Trump refused proposal to open Hormuz before nuclear talks

An Iranian proposal that has so far been rejected by US President Donald Trump would reopen shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and end the US blockade of Iran, while postponing negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme to a later stage, a senior Iranian official said on May 2.

Four weeks after the United States and Israel suspended their bombing campaign against Iran, no agreement has been reached to formally end a conflict that has triggered the most severe disruption ever to global energy supplies.

For more than two months, Iran has effectively blocked nearly all shipping from the Gulf, allowing only its own vessels to pass. In April, Washington responded by imposing its own blockade on ships departing from Iranian ports, escalating pressure on Tehran.

Speaking at the White House on May 1, Trump said he was “not satisfied” with Iran’s latest proposal, but did not provide specifics about which elements he opposed.

“They’re asking for things that I can’t agree to,” he told reporters.

The United States has consistently maintained that it will not agree to end the war without a deal that ensures Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon. Trump cited this objective as the primary justification for launching strikes in February, at a time when nuclear negotiations were still underway. Iran, for its part, continues to insist that its nuclear programme is intended solely for peaceful purposes.

The senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential diplomacy, said Tehran views its latest proposal — which defers nuclear negotiations — as a meaningful shift designed to facilitate a broader agreement.

Under the proposal, the war would end with guarantees from both the United States and Israel that they would not carry out further attacks. In parallel, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping, while the United States would lift its blockade.

Negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme would then take place at a later stage. These talks would focus on potential curbs in exchange for sanctions relief, with Tehran demanding that Washington recognise its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, even if it agrees to suspend enrichment activities.

“Under this framework, negotiations over the more complicated nuclear issue have been moved to the final stage to create a more conducive atmosphere,” the official said.

Reuters and other news organisations had reported over the past week that Iran was proposing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz before resolving nuclear issues. The official confirmed that this revised sequencing has now been formalised in a proposal delivered to the United States through mediators.

By Tamilla Hasanova