US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Iran is preparing a proposal to address US demands, coinciding with the start of a critical diplomatic mission in Pakistan.
In a telephone interview with Reuters, Trump stated that while the specific details of the offer remain unknown, any final agreement must include Iran’s total abandonment of enriched uranium and guaranteed freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
“They are preparing a proposal, and we’ll have to wait,” Trump said, adding that he is in “no rush” for a deal. He emphasized that the US military will maintain its naval blockade of Iranian ports until a satisfactory agreement is reached.
The announcement comes as US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrive in Islamabad on Saturday, April 25. The delegation aims to engage in direct talks mediated by Pakistani officials following a request from the Iranian side.
While the White House has expressed cautious optimism, Tehran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency has downplayed the prospect of direct negotiations, suggesting that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is only in Pakistan to discuss ending the conflict with mediators.
The US has recently deployed a third aircraft carrier to the Middle East, and Trump has repeatedly warned that “the clock is ticking” for the Islamic Republic. The talks in Islamabad represent a pivotal effort to stabilize the region following Trump’s recent success in extending the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire for another three weeks.
The international community is closely watching whether this “hard-nosed diplomacy” can reconcile Washington’s demands for nuclear disarmament with Tehran’s long-standing insistence on its “nuclear rights,” all while global energy markets remain strained by the ongoing maritime blockade.