White House Reviewing Iran's Proposal to Postpone Nuclear Talks

Marco Rubio Reaffirms Nuclear Weapons Ban

Levitt: "The President Will Speak Directly"

As peace negotiations have reached a stalemate, the White House has launched internal discussions regarding Iran’s proposal to postpone nuclear talks and prioritize reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting economic sanctions. However, it remains uncertain whether actual negotiations will proceed, as officials from the Donald Trump administration have reiterated the principle of 'prohibiting nuclear weapons possession.'

Caroline Levitt, White House Press Secretary. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Caroline Levitt, White House Spokesperson, stated during a briefing on the 27th (local time) that Iran’s proposal is “being discussed internally” at the White House.

Levitt emphasized, “The President’s red lines regarding Iran have been communicated very clearly not only to the American public but also to the Iranian side,” and added, “There was a discussion this morning, and all I can say is that I do not wish to get ahead of that.” She continued, “I am confident that the President will speak directly on this matter very soon.”

The previous day, Axios reported that Iran had delivered a proposal to the United States to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and declare an end to the war, while deferring nuclear talks to a later date. This move is interpreted as an attempt to seek an agreement by temporarily setting aside nuclear negotiations, given that both sides have failed to narrow their differences and the war continues.

Ali Vaez, an Iran expert at the International Crisis Group, analyzed, “This step is a face-saving change in sequencing,” and explained, “Rather than a formal negotiation, the goal is to prioritize the Strait of Hormuz issue as part of an agreement to end the war, lift the blockade, and postpone more difficult issues, so that the negotiation process does not collapse from the outset.”

U.S. Secretary of State: “Strait of Hormuz Transit Fees, Nuclear Weapons Possession Unacceptable”

The likelihood that the United States will accept Iran’s new proposal appears low. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during an interview with Fox News on the 27th (local time) regarding Iran’s new proposal, “The United States cannot accept Iran imposing transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.”

Secretary Rubio stressed, “If what Iran means by ‘opening the strait’ is that it is only open if you cooperate with Iran and obtain our permission, and otherwise you will be attacked or charged a fee, that is not truly opening the strait.”

He added, “We cannot allow a system in which Iran normalizes determining who can use international waterways and how much they must pay to do so.”

In particular, Secretary Rubio reaffirmed that Iran’s possession of nuclear weapons cannot be tolerated. Previously, White House Spokesperson Caroline Levitt also stated during a briefing on the 25th that the ultimate goal of U.S. military operations against Iran is “to ensure Iran never acquires nuclear weapons.”

According to The New York Times (NYT), a White House official said of Iran’s new proposal, “As the President has stated, the United States is in the lead and will only pursue an agreement that puts the American people first, meaning an agreement that absolutely does not allow Iran to possess nuclear weapons.”

Iran Expands Diplomatic Efforts, Seeks Consensus on Peace Negotiations

Iran has recently demonstrated its intent to negotiate peace by visiting Pakistan, Oman, and Russia. The New York Times reported that while Iran recognizes the current situation is unsustainable and wishes to return to negotiations with the United States, it appears reluctant to do so under the current U.S. maritime blockade.

On this day, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Saint Petersburg, Russia, to discuss peace measures. In particular, he stated in an interview with Russia’s Vesti TV that Tehran is considering ways to negotiate with the United States.

After meeting with Foreign Minister Araghchi, President Putin also said, “Russia will do everything possible to ensure that peace is established in the Middle East as soon as possible.”

Taimur Khan, a researcher at the Islamabad Institute of Strategic Studies, said, “Moscow cannot guarantee the easing of U.S. sanctions nor can it substitute for a direct agreement between the United States and Iran. Moscow’s value lies more in serving as a diplomatic stabilizer, technical facilitator, and a balancing force in geopolitics.”

In addition, Iran has continued phone conversations with the foreign ministers of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and France. Al Jazeera interpreted these moves as cautious diplomatic outreach.

Dania Tafer, spokesperson for the Gulf International Forum, told Al Jazeera, “Even though Iran’s leadership has not visited Qatar or Saudi Arabia directly, the fact that phone conversations have taken place indicates a willingness to maintain communication channels, if not full diplomatic engagement.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.