As tension continues to remain tense in West Asia, Iran has submitted another proposal aimed at pushing forward negotiations with the United States to resolve the widening West Asia conflict. According to Iran’s state-run agency IRNA, Tehran formally handed over its latest document to Pakistan on Thursday evening. Notably, Islamabad has been acting as the go-between for the ongoing exchanges between Tehran and Washington.
This development comes only days after Iran, through regional intermediaries, submitted a separate proposal to cease its military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, which is likely to be rejected by the US, CNN reported. US President Donald Trump has already indicated his unwillingness to accept the newest Iranian overture. During a high-level briefing earlier this week, Trump told his advisers he is “not likely to accept the plan” that was recently delivered to Washington.
What the new Iranian plan proposes
Iran’s latest offer focuses on reopening maritime routes through the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz. However, it pushes all discussion on its nuclear programme to a later stage. Officials in Washington are concerned that restoring shipping lanes without addressing Iran’s uranium enrichment and its “stockpile of near-bomb-grade uranium” would weaken US leverage in ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Despite US reservations, American experts acknowledge that keeping the strait blocked carries its own challenges. The prolonged halt in maritime traffic has maintained elevated global energy prices, significantly increasing fuel costs across the United States, CNN reported.
Islamabad talks collapse amid high drama
The latest round of planned talks between Washington and Tehran in Islamabad fell apart after the Iranian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, abruptly left Pakistan on Saturday evening. The group had held a day-long series of top-level meetings with Pakistani leaders before departing. Al Jazeera reported that Iran handed over an “official list of demands” for the United States and Israel before exiting the discussions.
Following Iran’s sudden departure, Trump cancelled the upcoming visit of the US delegation headed by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Senior Adviser Jared Kushner. The talks were intended to revive efforts for a comprehensive peace agreement in West Asia.
A repeat of earlier diplomatic failures
This setback mirrors the earlier first round of peace talks hosted in Islamabad, which saw US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliamentary Speaker MB Ghalibaf engage in a marathon 21-hour dialogue without reaching any meaningful breakthrough. With the second round now in disarray, Pakistan’s hopes of playing a decisive role in brokering peace appear increasingly uncertain.
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