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Iran’s counterproposal to the United States reportedly includes a three-phase plan that seeks to quickly end the war, guarantee no future combined force strikes on Iran, and address the Strait of Hormuz in the first phase, while delaying talks on Iran’s nuclear program to a second phase. US President Donald Trump expressed doubt on May 2 that the proposal “would be acceptable.” Al Jazeera, citing unspecified sources, reported on May 3 that Iran’s counterproposal to the United States comprises three phases. The first phase includes a “complete end to the war” within 30 days, a mutual “guarantee of non-aggression” between the United States, Israel, Iran, and the Axis of Resistance, anend to the US blockade on Iranian ports in exchange for the “reopening” of the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for Iran “in a new and innovative format,” and the complete withdrawal of US forces from Iran’s “maritime perimeter.” It is unclear whether the compensation clause refers to Iran’s demand for war reparations or Iran’s proposal to establish a toll scheme in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran included a plan to charge vessels that transit through the strait a fee in its previous proposal on April 26. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei stated on April 30 that Iran will impose a “new management” in the strait that will reap “economic benefits” for Iran, likely referring to the toll scheme. An Iranian media outlet affiliated with former Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani similarly reported on May 2 that Iran’s counterproposal includes “a new mechanism” for the Strait of Hormuz. Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)-affiliated media separately reported on May 2 that the Iranian Parliament plans to approve a 12-point plan that would place restrictions on which ships are allowed to traverse the Strait of Hormuz. Ships belonging to “hostile countries” would be required to pay war reparations to Iran in order to pass through the strait under this plan.
The second phase of Iran’s proposal reportedly includes negotiations between the United States and Iran about Iran’s nuclear program. Iran appears to be offering the possibility of discussing nuclear issues at a later date in order to push the United States to end the war and lift its blockade on Iranian ports. Iran does not appear to have made any firm commitments to make concessions regarding its nuclear program in its latest proposal, however. Axios reported on May 2 that Iran would agree to conduct a month of nuclear negotiations if the United States and Iran reached an agreement regarding the Strait of Hormuz and an end to the war in the next month, citing two sources briefed on the proposal. Al Jazeera reported that Iran offered to “discuss the idea” of pausing uranium enrichment for “up to 15 years,” which is longer than previous Iranian proposals to pause enrichment for up to five years. The Iranian proposal also posits that Iran could enrich up to 3.6 percent after the pause ends. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action previously allowed Iran to enrich up to 3.67 percent. President Trump has previously indicated that he would not accept a pause in enrichment and instead seeks for Iran to permanently suspend enrichment. The proposal also states that Iran would be willing to “discuss the fate of” Iran’s highly enriched uranium (HEU) stockpile, with possible options including transferring the stockpile abroad or diluting it. The United States has demanded that Iran hand over its HEU stockpile. The proposal also insists that Iran will not dismantle any of its nuclear facilities. The proposal emphasizes the need for sanctions relief for Iran in exchange for Iran’s nuclear “concessions.” The Wall Street Journal similarly reported on May 1 that Iran’s proposal “calls for discussing the issues around Iran’s nuclear file in exchange for US sanctions relief.” Iranian Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei insisted on May 3 that Iran’s 14-point counterproposal is exclusively focused on ending the war and does not address nuclear issues.
Baghaei announced on May 3 that the United States has responded to Iran’s counterproposal and that the Iranian regime is reviewing the United States’ response. President Trump previously stated on May 1 that he was “not satisfied” with the Iranian counterproposal.
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