US, Iran Swap Nuclear Proposals as Trump Delays New Strike

(MENAFN) Washington and Tehran traded a flurry of proposals and counterproposals last week in a bid to avert renewed military confrontation, the Washington Post reported Monday, citing officials familiar with the negotiations.

According to the report, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Iran's earlier offer on nuclear enrichment restrictions, pushing instead for a deal that imposes significantly broader limitations on Tehran's atomic program.

Earlier negotiating rounds saw Washington table a proposal banning Iran from enriching uranium for 25 years — a demand Tehran flatly rejected. A subsequent U.S. offer softened the timeline to a 20-year moratorium, which Iran also turned down.

In more recent exchanges, Washington signaled potential flexibility on Iranian oil export sanctions, contingent on Tehran severing support for its regional proxy networks, the Post reported. Separate indications emerged that Iran may be willing to ship a portion of its enriched uranium stockpile overseas — though the report stressed that neither concession had been formalized, and both would hinge on the contours of any wider agreement.

Against that diplomatic backdrop, Trump announced Monday that he had chosen to hold off on resuming strikes against Iran after several regional leaders conveyed to him that a comprehensive deal appeared within reach. He said he was asked by the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and unspecified "others" to delay strikes "because they think that they are getting very close to making a deal."

A U.S. media outlet reported that Trump held phone calls with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates in the 24 hours preceding his announcement, and that the Arab leaders warned Trump they did not want their oil and energy infrastructure caught in the crossfire of any Iranian retaliation.

The diplomatic maneuvering unfolds against a volatile regional backdrop. U.S. and Israeli forces launched strikes on Iran on February 28, triggering retaliatory attacks from Tehran and severe disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire brokered by Pakistan took hold on April 8, but subsequent talks in Islamabad failed to translate the truce into a durable settlement. Trump later extended the ceasefire unilaterally with no fixed expiration date.

Since April 13, Washington has maintained a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic through the strategically vital waterway — a pressure tactic that continues to shadow the fragile peace.

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