Iran sends new peace talks proposal to US via Pakistan as Hormuz standoff drags on

Iran delivered a new proposal for peace talks with the United States via mediator Pakistan on Thursday evening, state media reported Friday. The move came as negotiations between the two sides remain frozen despite a ceasefire in place since April 8, following a war launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28.

What is Iran proposing in the new U.S. peace talks?

The contents of the proposal were not disclosed. Iran's IRNA news agency confirmed only that the text of the latest negotiating proposal was handed to Pakistan on Thursday evening. Pakistani mediators are expected to relay the proposal to Washington, with sources suggesting Islamabad believes a fair deal remains within reach.

Why is Pakistan mediating between Iran and the U.S.?

Pakistan has emerged as the key intermediary in U.S.-Iran diplomacy, with both sides channeling proposals through Islamabad rather than meeting directly. On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also held phone calls with counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Iraq, and Azerbaijan to discuss Iran's latest initiatives to end the war, according to a ministry statement.

What is blocking a U.S.-Iran peace deal?

Only one round of direct talks has taken place, and it failed to produce results. Iran has maintained its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off significant volumes of oil, gas and fertilizer from global markets. The United States has responded with a counter blockade on Iranian ports, and The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Trump had told security officials to prepare for the blockade to last months, pushing oil prices higher.

What are Iranian officials saying about negotiations?

Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said Friday that the Islamic Republic has "never shied away from negotiations" but added that Iran does not accept imposition. He said Tehran does not want a return to war. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said separately on Thursday that the United States suffered a "disgraceful defeat" during the war.

What is the war powers debate in Washington?

Washington has been caught in a legal dispute over whether Trump missed a deadline requiring congressional approval for the war with Iran. Senior administration officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, argued that the ceasefire paused the 60-day clock under the War Powers Resolution. A senior official told AFP Thursday that hostilities begun on February 28 have formally "terminated" for the purposes of that resolution.

Trump faces mounting domestic pressure, with no clear military victory, inflation at 3.5 percent and midterm elections due in November.

How is the war affecting Iran's economy?

The U.S. military said its blockade had stopped Iran from exporting $6 billion worth of oil. Inflation in Iran, already above 45 percent before the war, has climbed to 53.7 percent in recent weeks, according to the national statistics centre. A 28-year-old Iranian worker told AFP that paying rent and buying food had become difficult for many people, and the company he worked for had laid off nearly 40 percent of its staff.

What is happening with efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz?

France and Britain have led efforts to build an international coalition to reopen the strait, but only after a peace deal is in place. The United States confirmed Thursday it was launching its own separate coalition, called the Maritime Freedom Construct, to restart shipping through the waterway. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the two missions would complement rather than compete with each other.

What did White House say about the Iran proposal?

The White House declined to comment Friday on a new proposal from Iran for talks to end the war, saying only that discussions continue. "We do not detail private diplomatic conversations," deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement sent to AFP. "President (Donald) Trump has been clear that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon, and negotiations continue to ensure the short- and long-term national security of the United States.”