Trump Rejects Iran’s Latest Peace Proposal, Nuclear Issue Stalls Talks

Trump Rejects Iran’s Latest Peace Proposal, Nuclear Issue Stalls Talks

By Paul V. Young – TheNATIONWEEK.com | April 28, 2026

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with Iran’s latest proposal to end the two-month conflict, dimming hopes for a resolution that has disrupted energy supplies, fueled inflation, and caused thousands of casualties.

Iranian sources indicate the new plan defers discussion of Iran’s nuclear program until after the war concludes and shipping disputes in the Gulf are resolved. This stance is unlikely to satisfy the U.S., which insists that nuclear issues be addressed from the outset. A U.S. official, speaking anonymously after a Monday meeting, confirmed Trump’s unhappiness with this delay.

White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales stated that the U.S. “will not negotiate through the press” and maintains clear “red lines” as the Trump administration seeks to end the conflict with Iran, which began alongside Israel in February.

This diplomatic setback follows the collapse of a previous 2015 agreement that significantly curtailed Iran’s nuclear program (maintained for peaceful purposes) when Trump unilaterally withdrew during his first term.

Efforts to revive peace talks recently receded after President Trump scrapped a planned visit by special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to Islamabad last weekend. During this period, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi shuttled between Islamabad, Oman, and later met with President Vladimir Putin in Russia, receiving support from the longstanding ally.

Oil Prices Surge as Strait of Hormuz Flow Constrained

With the warring sides seemingly far apart, oil prices resumed their upward trend in early Asian trade on Tuesday. Market analyst Fawad Razaqzada noted, “For oil traders, it’s not the rhetoric that matters anymore, but the actual physical flow of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz, and right now, that flow remains constrained.”

Ship-tracking data confirms the war’s impact, with at least six tankers loaded with Iranian oil forced back to Iran by the U.S. blockade. Iran’s foreign ministry condemned these seizures as “outright legalization of piracy and armed robbery on the high seas.”

Before the war, 125-140 ships typically transited the Strait daily. Kpler ship-tracking data and SynMax satellite analysis show only seven crossings in the past day, none carrying oil for the global market.

Facing declining approval ratings, Trump is under domestic pressure to end a war for which his administration has offered shifting rationales. Araqchi told reporters in Russia that Trump had requested negotiations due to the U.S.’s failure to achieve its objectives.

Senior Iranian officials, speaking anonymously, outlined Araqchi’s proposal: an initial phase would end the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and guarantee no renewed conflict. Subsequent talks would address the U.S. Navy’s blockade and the fate of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran aims to reopen under its control. Only then would negotiations tackle other issues, including Iran’s nuclear program, with Iran still seeking U.S. acknowledgment of its uranium enrichment rights.