Iran Says It Will Accept Only ‘Fair’ Peace Deal With U.S. As Trump Pauses Naval Mission To Reopen Strait Of Hormuz
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Iran said on Wednesday that it would only accept a peace agreement with the United States if the deal was “fair and comprehensive”, after U.S. President Donald Trump paused a naval mission aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump announced on social media that the U.S. would temporarily halt “Project Freedom”, a naval escort operation launched earlier this week to guide merchant ships through the strategically important waterway.
The mission had aimed to restore commercial shipping traffic after months of disruption caused by the ongoing conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel.
According to Trump, the operation was being paused because negotiations with Tehran had shown “great progress”.
He did not provide details about the discussions or say how long the suspension would remain in place.
The Strait of Hormuz has remained largely shut to international shipping since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran.
Tehran has allowed mainly Iranian-linked vessels to pass through while warning other ships away from the route.
The U.S. operation failed to convince many commercial shipowners that the route was safe. During the mission, Iranian drones and missiles struck several ships operating in and around the strait.
A French shipping company said one of its container ships was hit while passing through the waterway on Tuesday. Crew members injured in the attack were later evacuated.
Iran also widened its military activity in the region and said areas along the United Arab Emirates coastline had been added to the zone under its control.
Tehran carried out repeated strikes on targets in the UAE, including an oil export facility located outside the strait.
At the same time, the U.S. Navy said it engaged several small Iranian boats earlier this week.
U.S. Central Command also said American forces fired at an Iranian-flagged tanker on Wednesday, disabling the vessel after it allegedly tried to sail toward an Iranian port in violation of the U.S. blockade.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important shipping routes and previously handled around one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies.
The conflict has badly disrupted tanker traffic, cargo operations and energy markets.
After Trump announced the pause in the naval mission, Brent crude oil prices dropped sharply. Prices fell by around 11% at one point before recovering slightly to trade above $100 a barrel.
Global stock markets also rose on hopes that the conflict could move closer to an agreement.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who was visiting China, said Iran was still open to talks but would only accept a deal that protected its interests.
He also held a phone call with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister and said countries in the region should continue diplomatic efforts to avoid more tensions.
Iran later confirmed it was reviewing a U.S. peace proposal that sources said would formally end the war while leaving several major disputes unresolved.
According to sources involved in the mediation efforts, the proposal could lead to a one-page memorandum that would officially end the conflict and begin 30 days of detailed negotiations.
The talks would focus on reopening shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, lifting U.S. sanctions and setting limits on Iran’s nuclear programme.
However, important disagreements remain between the two sides.
The reported proposal does not initially include several demands Washington has made in the past, including restrictions on Iran’s missile programme and support for proxy groups in the Middle East.
Sources also did not mention Iran’s stockpile of more than 400 kg of near-weapons-grade uranium.
Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei described the proposal as “more of an American wish-list than a reality”.
Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also dismissed reports that a deal was close.
Writing on social media in English, he said “Operation Trust Me Bro failed” and claimed the United States had failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz despite launching a military mission.
Sources familiar with the negotiations said the talks were being led by Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that he and Trump agreed all enriched uranium must be removed from Iran to stop Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran has repeatedly denied seeking nuclear weapons.
Trump continued to insist that Iran’s military capability had been badly weakened during the conflict.
Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, he said Iran’s military had been reduced to firing “peashooters” and claimed Tehran wanted peace despite continuing threats.
According to NBC News, citing unnamed U.S. officials, Saudi Arabia opposed the American naval escort mission and did not allow U.S. military aircraft to use Saudi bases or airspace for the operation.
The report said a phone call between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman failed to settle the disagreement. The White House did not immediately comment on the report.
The conflict has caused heavy casualties across the region. Thousands of people have reportedly been killed in Iran during the U.S.-Israeli attacks.
Fighting involving Iran-backed Hezbollah forces has also continued in Lebanon, while Iranian strikes have killed dozens of people in Israel and Gulf countries.
The crisis is also increasing pressure on the Trump administration ahead of the November midterm elections, as higher fuel prices continue affecting American consumers.
References: Reuters, ddnews
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