Iran weighs US peace proposal

Iran said on May 22 it was reviewing the latest U.S. proposal to end the war, as President Donald Trump said he would give Tehran “a couple of days” to answer before deciding his next move. The exchange kept diplomacy alive after weeks of back-and-forth proposals carried through Pakistan. At the same time, commercial disruption around the Strait of Hormuz remained a live pressure point, with Indian media reporting 14 Indian vessels stranded in or near the waterway. Oil traders were also watching the talks closely, with Reuters reporting U.S. crude rose on Friday as investors doubted a breakthrough. ### What exactly did Iran and Trump say on May 22? Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran had received the U.S. side’s latest views and was reviewing them, according to reports carried by CBS News and CNBC. CBS said Iran was “considering the latest U.S. peace offer,” while CNBC reported Baghaei said Pakistan had passed along the American position. Trump said he was willing to wait “a couple of days” for an Iranian response, CBS reported in its May 22 live coverage. CNBC said Trump told reporters he was prepared to wait a few more days to “get the right answers” from Tehran. ### Why is Pakistan in the middle of this exchange? Pakistan has been the main intermediary carrying proposals between Washington and Tehran during this phase of the talks. (cbsnews.com) Reuters reported on May 18 that Pakistan had shared a revised Iranian proposal with the United States, and a Pakistani source said both sides were still apart on key issues. A May 3 CNBC report said Iranian state media had earlier described Washington’s response as having been conveyed via Pakistan after Tehran submitted a 14-point proposal. That report said the two sides had held only one round of talks so far, with further meetings proving difficult to arrange. ### What are the main sticking points in the proposal? Washington has continued to press Iran on its nuclear program and on the fate of its enriched uranium stockpile. (msn.com) CNBC reported on May 3 that the United States wanted Tehran to give up more than 400 kg of highly enriched uranium, while Iran wanted to postpone nuclear talks until after the war and the shipping standoff were addressed. (cnbc.com) Reuters reported on May 22 that investors saw the two sides as stuck in opposing positions over Tehran’s uranium stockpile and controls on the Strait of Hormuz. That same Reuters report said U.S. crude futures rose more than $1 in early Friday trading as doubts about a diplomatic breakthrough persisted. ### Why does the Strait of Hormuz matter so much here? (cnbc.com) The Strait of Hormuz has become both a bargaining issue and a commercial choke point. Indian media reports cited in the source briefings said 14 Indian commercial vessels were stranded in or near the strait as Tehran responded to a U.S. text on ceasefire terms. Earlier reporting from Indian outlets said New Delhi had already been in contact with Iran over the safe passage of its ships. (msn.com) Reuters reported on May 20 that three supertankers carrying 6 million barrels of Middle East crude were crossing the strait after waiting in the Gulf for more than two months. That movement showed some cargoes were getting through, but it also highlighted how long shipping had been disrupted. ### Has this proposal process been moving, or just repeating? (financialexpress.com) May 18 was one of the clearest signs that the talks were still active, with Reuters reporting that Pakistan had forwarded a revised Iranian proposal and that a senior Iranian official said the U.S. had softened on some issues. But Reuters also said the talks appeared stalled and that both sides kept shifting positions. (msn.com) May 22 did not produce a deal. What it did produce was a narrower timetable: Iran said it was reviewing the latest U.S. position, and Trump publicly set a wait period of only a few days. The next concrete marker is Tehran’s formal reply through Pakistan, which will determine whether the current contact channel stays open into next week. (cbsnews.com) (msn.com)