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Iran has offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. lifts its blockade and ends the ongoing war, while postponing nuclear program discussions. The proposal, relayed through Pakistan, comes amid a fragile ceasefire and rising global oil prices. President Donald Trump indicated the offer improved after he canceled envoy talks, but acceptance remains uncertain.
manilatimes.netIran has proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the U.S. lifting its blockade on Iranian ports and ending the war that began on February 28, according to two regional officials. The offer, passed to the U.S. via Pakistan, would delay negotiations on Iran's nuclear program.
President Donald Trump described a recent Iranian proposal as "much better" after he canceled a trip by U.S. envoys to Pakistan, though he stressed that Iran must not obtain nuclear weapons. The strait, through which a fifth of the world's traded oil and gas passes in peacetime, remains blocked nearly two months into the conflict.
Brent crude prices reached around $108 per barrel on Monday, up nearly 50% since the war started. The closure has stranded tankers in the Persian Gulf and raised global prices for fertilizer, food, and other goods.
A ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, agreed upon on April 7, was indefinitely extended by Trump last week. Despite the truce, the two sides continue positioning, with the strait as a key leverage point. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St.
Petersburg on Monday, where Putin praised Iran's fight for sovereignty and pledged Russian efforts for Middle East peace, according to Russian state news agency Tass. Araghchi visited Pakistan and Oman over the weekend, and spoke by phone with counterparts in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Iran seeks Oman's support for a toll mechanism on vessels passing the strait, one regional official said. Pakistan has mediated, but Trump opted for phone talks instead of in-person meetings, citing time concerns.
“They gave us a paper that should have been better. In Israel, 23 people have been killed, with additional deaths in Gulf Arab states. Military losses include 15 Israeli soldiers in Lebanon, 13 U.S. service members in the region, and six U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has not joined U.S.-brokered talks.”
and Economic Impact German Chancellor
Friedrich Merz criticized the U.S. for entering the war without an exit strategy, noting Iran's negotiating strength. Stephen Doughty, the United Kingdom's minister of state for Europe and North America, stated the U.K. opposes the U.S. blockade but supports reopening the strait and preventing Iran's nuclear development.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed the Iranian offer, saying it would require coordination with Iran for passage, which he called unacceptable for international waterways. m. on Monday. The U.S. blockade has stopped or turned around at least 38 ships, aiming to cut Iran's oil revenue and force production halts due to storage limits.
Asia's crude imports are on track for their lowest April level since 2016, with refiners turning to U.S. WTI, U.S. Mars, Kazakh CPC Blend, and West African sweet crude.
“The problem with conflicts like these is always the same: It’s not just about getting in. Amrita Sen, director of research at Energy Aspects, stated at the FT Commodities Global Summit that oil flows through the strait may never return to pre-war levels. Trump noted on CNBC that large oil tankers are adapting to the changes in global supply chains. The conflict, involving U.S. envoys Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, and Vice President JD Vance in prior talks, has killed thousands and disrupted global energy dependencies. U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan is leaving the administration, the Pentagon announced.”
fortune.comThe aircraft, transferred from Qatar in 2025 and modified at a cost below $400 million, will serve until new VC-25B aircraft arrive in 2028. It will conduct commissioning flights before entering presidential service.
rte.ieStrikes hit a residential building and other targets across southern Lebanon, killing at least 47 people and wounding 97. The attacks followed a U.S.- and Qatar-brokered truce between Israel and Hezbollah.
Hundreds gathered in central Paris on Saturday despite a court-upheld ban on an NCRI demonstration against executions in Iran. Police dispersed the crowd and made 20 arrests, according to organizers.