Iran was awaiting an official US response on Saturday to a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and halt fighting across the Middle East, after the Wall Street Journal reported that President Donald Trump had rejected the offer.
The initiative, conveyed through Qatari mediators, would begin a seven-day process to restore shipping through the strategic waterway and pause regional hostilities, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told reporters at the United Nations on Friday.
The diplomatic push comes as renewed Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia draw the kingdom’s defence partners into closer coordination, adding urgency to efforts to end a conflict that has disrupted global energy supplies.
Araqchi said preparations for an agreement were complete if Washington was serious about reaching a deal. Acceptance would allow the parties to move towards broader negotiations on subjects agreed by both sides.
Under Tehran’s proposal, fighting would stop on all fronts, including Lebanon. Washington would be required to end its blockade of Iranian ports, release frozen Iranian funds and waive oil sanctions, Araqchi said.
A US official had previously described indirect discussions as “positive and constructive”.
However, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump privately doubted Iran would satisfy his demands and had told aides that another bombing campaign appeared likely. Reuters said it could not immediately confirm the report.
The prospect of broader negotiations also faces a major obstacle over Iran’s nuclear programme.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran would make no concessions on uranium enrichment or agree to transfer its highly enriched uranium abroad, even if Washington accepted the peace proposal. Trump has repeatedly said Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon.
The war began with US and Israeli attacks on February 28. Successive rounds of strikes and temporary pauses have left thousands dead, weakened Iran’s conventional military capabilities and deepened its economic difficulties.
The conflict has spread through Iranian attacks on Gulf states allied with Washington, Houthi strikes on Saudi interests and continued fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in Lebanon. Iranian-aligned Iraqi militias were also blamed for an attack on a pipeline that temporarily disrupted additional Saudi oil supplies.
Iran has meanwhile discussed shipping arrangements with Saudi Arabia. Its foreign ministry said early Saturday that Araqchi briefed Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on an understanding between Tehran and Oman concerning safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
With traffic through the strait still largely blocked, attacks on Saudi shipping and infrastructure have also threatened the Red Sea route used as an alternative outlet for Gulf exports.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said early Saturday that it intercepted two Houthi drones heading towards Riyadh and a ballistic missile launched towards Khamis Mushait.
The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen and the country’s most densely populated areas, have attacked Saudi vessels, cities and energy facilities since announcing a naval blockade against the kingdom in July.
Their offensive has also put pressure on Yemen’s internationally recognised, Saudi-backed government.
Turkish and Pakistani defence officials met in Riyadh on Friday to discuss intelligence sharing, military coordination and the integration of forces, Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said.
The talks followed a meeting of the Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani foreign ministers under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, as the kingdom sought to strengthen its response to the attacks.
Meanwhile, UNICEF warned on Friday that renewed violence in Yemen was driving another humanitarian crisis, with acute malnutrition rising among children.
