Pakistani officials shared with Western media on Wednesday that Iran is weighing a 14-point proposal aimed at officially resolving the ongoing conflict with the United States.
According to Reuters, the memorandum of understanding is intended to kick off discussions about lifting the blockade on vessels navigating through the Strait of Hormuz, revoking U.S. sanctions on Iran, and addressing Iran’s nuclear ambitions. It outlines a 30-day timeframe for further talks.
Sources familiar with the situation indicated that the memo might drop previous demands from the Trump administration, like curbing Iran’s missile capabilities and stopping support for proxy militias in the Middle East. Interestingly, it also doesn’t address Iran’s shortage of approximately 900 pounds of near-weapon-grade uranium, a point previously highlighted by the administration as critical for resolving the conflict.
A Pakistani source hinted at optimism for the proposal, expressing that it was “coming close” and would be finalized soon.
In contrast, a spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry was more reserved, simply stating that Iran received the proposal and would respond to the U.S. through Pakistan.
Ebrahim Rezaei, from Iran’s parliament’s National Security Committee, dismissed the memo as more of a U.S. wish list than a feasible offer and warned that Iran would likely reject it without additional concessions.
He remarked that the U.S. cannot secure anything in a losing war that they couldn’t gain in direct talks.
Furthermore, Rezaei claimed Iran was “ready to pull the trigger” if the U.S. fails to meet necessary demands.
Speculation around a potential deal has already had an impact on oil prices, which rose about 15% initially and then another 8% following President Trump’s comments about it being “too early” to discuss a peace agreement. Currently, oil prices have surged about 60% since the onset of Operation Epic Fury.
During an interview, Trump was hesitant about sending reporters to Pakistan for potential new negotiations, saying, “I don’t think so.”
The president, however, expressed a more positive outlook compared to earlier statements. Just prior to the interview, he posted on social media speculating that if Iran complies with the terms, the blockade would be lifted and the conflict would end.
But he also warned that if an agreement isn’t reached, there would be a significant escalation in military actions.
In a follow-up interview with PBS, Trump mentioned that while he believes the U.S. and Iran might be close to a deal, he’s been optimistic about this before, so he remains cautious.
“I think there is a very good chance it will end. If it doesn’t, we’ll have to go back to full-scale bombing,” he suggested, hinting at the possibility of a resolution or renewed conflict occurring before his scheduled visit to China next week.
