US Skeptical of Iranian Proposal to End War, Reopen Strait Without Nuclear Talks

The United States appeared unlikely to accept Iran's proposal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the blockade is lifted, with nuclear talks delayed. The offer, delivered through Pakistan, emerged as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Russia.

President Donald Trump discussed the proposal with his national security team and planned to address it publicly. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated in a Fox News interview that any agreement must definitively prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

He described the Iranians as skilled negotiators seeking to buy time. The White House confirmed the discussions but declined to negotiate through the press.

Proposal includes extending the ceasefire for a long period or agreeing to a permanent end, with nuclear negotiations starting later after the strait reopens and the blockade lifts. S. holds all the cards and demanded Iran's enriched uranium stockpile.

He also claimed Iran's oil infrastructure could explode within three days due to the blockade, potentially operating at only 50% capacity afterward.

“We have to ensure that any deal that is made, any agreement that is made, is one that definitively prevents them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point," — Secretary of State Marco Rubio, April 27, 2026 (The Independent). Rubio rejected Iran's idea of opening the strait under conditions where vessels must coordinate with Iran or pay fees, calling it an attempt to normalize control over international waterways. Iran's parliament national security commission head Ebrahim Azizi said the armed forces would target hostile vessels and require payments in local currency under a proposed law. Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Araghchi in St. Petersburg, expressing hope for peace and affirming Russia's strategic relations with Iran. Putin stated Moscow is ready to assist in achieving peace in the Middle East quickly. S. demands and breaches of agreements as slowing diplomatic progress.”

Since the war began, at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran and 2,521 in Lebanon, where fighting with Hezbollah resumed shortly after. In Israel, 23 people died, with additional fatalities in Gulf states. S. N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.

Israeli airstrikes targeted villages in southern Lebanon, including Chakra, Tebnine, and Kafra, with a drone strike on a motorcycle in Mansouri. Israel's military ordered evacuations from 16 villages, citing Hezbollah attacks. No immediate casualty details were available.

In southern Gaza, Israeli forces killed 9-year-old Adel al-Najjar while he collected firewood in Khan Younis, according to Nasser Hospital. The boy's younger brother died similarly a month earlier. Since the October ceasefire in the Gaza war, at least 818 Palestinians, including 226 children and 179 women, have been killed near military zones.

Sentenced 30 people on Iran-related charges, with five receiving life terms for spying for Iran's Revolutionary Guard and 25 getting 10-year terms for supporting attacks. Human rights activists criticized the trials as closed-door without proper defense.

A Mercy Corps study found 96% of Gaza's cropland damaged or inaccessible due to the war with Hamas, with only 7% of agricultural infrastructure functional. Water systems are degraded, and recovery could take years without addressing restrictions and contamination. S.

and Iran.

-Iran peace deal, reflecting broader market sentiment affected by the tensions. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker described Iran's actions in the Strait as a wake-up call for global energy security, urging diversification of supplies. S.

base in Kuwait early in the war, causing billions in damage to runways, aircraft, and infrastructure, according to reports. S. Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornets deployed to the region offer enhanced capabilities against drones and small boats. Iran continues loading oil at Kharg Island despite the blockade, with satellite images showing activity as of April 26.

Reports indicate Iran is exploring rail exports to China to circumvent the blockade, though less efficient.

“Iran’s illegal behavior in the Strait of Hormuz should be a wakeup call for all of us with regard to the need to secure our supply chains and reduce our dependencies on unreliable countries and geographies,”