Tehran

The administration of Donald Trump appeared unlikely on Tuesday to accept Iran’s proposal to end the ongoing conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the United States lifts its blockade on Tehran.

The reported proposal would delay talks on Iran’s nuclear programme, an idea that Marco Rubio signalled Washington would not support. Speaking in a television interview on Monday, Rubio said any agreement must permanently prevent Iran from moving toward acquiring a nuclear weapon.

“We have to ensure that any deal or agreement definitively stops them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point,” Rubio said.

The proposal was reportedly conveyed to the US through Pakistan. The White House said Trump’s national security team had discussed the offer and the president would comment later.

The diplomatic move came as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Russia, a longstanding ally of Tehran, though it remained unclear what support Moscow might provide.

Rubio described Iran’s leadership as experienced negotiators trying to buy time. He said Washington could not allow delays on the nuclear issue and insisted it remained the central concern in any future talks.

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The conflict has caused heavy casualties across the region. Reports said thousands have been killed in Iran and Lebanon, with further deaths in Israel, Gulf states, among Israeli soldiers, US service members and UN peacekeepers.