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The U.S. insists that nuclear issues must be addressed right from the beginning. President Trump expressed displeasure over Iran’s delay in reaching a deal concerning its nuclear program. Iran, on the other hand, demands that the blockade be lifted prior to any negotiations taking place.
According to a U.S. official familiar with Monday’s meeting between the president and his advisers, Trump is frustrated with Iran’s latest proposal, which postpones discussions on its nuclear ambitions until the war is over and shipping disputes in the Gulf are settled. This stance is unlikely to satisfy Washington, which emphasizes that nuclear matters should be tackled immediately.
White House spokesperson Olivia Wales stated that the U.S. “will not negotiate through the press” and has “been clear about our red lines,” as the Trump administration seeks to conclude the conflict with Iran, which it began in February alongside Israel.
An agreement made in 2015 between Iran and several countries, including the U.S., severely limited Iran’s nuclear activities, claiming they were for peaceful purposes. However, that deal collapsed after Trump unilaterally withdrew during his first term.
Efforts to revive peace negotiations have diminished, especially after the U.S. canceled a planned visit by special envoy Steve Witkoff and President’s son-in-law Jared Kushner to Islamabad last weekend. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with officials in Oman and Russia, where he received support from longstanding allies.
Oil prices increased once again as negotiations stalled, with early Asian trade showing gains on Tuesday. Market analyst Fawad Razaqzada noted that traders are more concerned with the actual flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz rather than rhetoric, and that this flow remains restricted. Recent days have seen at least six Iranian oil tankers turned back to Iran due to U.S. sanctions, severely impacting maritime traffic.
Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the U.S. seizures of Iranian-linked tankers as “piracy and armed robbery on the high seas,” via social media. Normally, 125 to 140 ships transit the Strait of Hormuz daily, but only seven have crossed in the past 24 hours, and none carried oil for global markets, according to ship-tracking data.
With President Trump’s approval ratings declining, domestic pressures mount to end a conflict that he has justified with shifting rationales. In Russia, Araqchi revealed that Trump asked for negotiations because the U.S. had achieved no tangible objectives.
Iranian officials, speaking under anonymity, shared details of a proposal presented over the weekend, which outlines a staged approach: first ending the U.S.-Israeli sanctions against Iran and securing guarantees that hostilities won’t restart; then resolving the U.S. naval blockade and reopening the Strait of Hormuz under Iran’s control; and finally, addressing broader issues like Iran’s nuclear rights—a stance Iran insists should include acknowledgement of its right to uranium enrichment.
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