Donald Trump proposes 15-point plan to end war with Iran
2026-03-25 - 09:21
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump has sent Iran a 15-point plan aimed at resolving the conflict in the Middle East, The New York Times reported on Tuesday citing officials briefed on the diplomacy. The proposal was delivered via Pakistan and outlines steps addressing Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs as well as maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, The Times said. The tentative signs of a diplomatic solution came despite new violence, with an Iranian missile causing injuries in Israel which in turn pressed on multiple fronts and vowed to seize control of a strip of southern Lebanon. Trump, whose pronouncements in recent days have swung wildly from vowing massive attacks on Iran to declaring the nearly month-long war virtually over, said the United States was "in negotiations right now" with Iran – which has not confirmed any formal talks. Israel's Channel 12 said that Trump was proposing a one-month ceasefire during which the sides would discuss a proposal that would include handing over Iran's enriched uranium and banning further enrichment. Iran would also ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.Iran in turn would see an end to all sanctions, which have been in place in various forms for years, the Israeli report said. Iran would also receive assistance in developing civil nuclear energy at Bushehr, a key site which dates from before the 1979 Islamic revolution. Iran, in a message circulated by the International Maritime Organization shortly afterward, assured safe passage to "non-hostile vessels" going through the strait, the gateway for one-fifth of the world's oil. Iran had already in recent days said it was not targeting friendly nations, although many vessels have shied away as insurance companies refuse to take risks. Trump had earlier threatened to "obliterate" Iran's power plants, which some argue would be a war crime, if it did not open the strait by late Monday Washington time. Before US markets opened Monday, Trump abruptly extended that deadline by five days, citing diplomatic progress. Pakistan's prime minister has offered to host US-Iran talks, which Trump said involved top officials including Vice President JD Vance. Iran on Tuesday accused Israel of carrying out a second strike on Bushehr, which lies perilously close to Gulf Arab population centers. Despite Trump's stated hopes for diplomacy, The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States is planning to send 3,000 soldiers from the elite 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East. Trump's envoys were negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran just two days before the United States and Israel launched the massive attack on February 28, killing Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei on the first day. The report said it remains unclear whether Iran will accept the proposal or if Israel supports it, as the war—now in its fourth week—continues with US-Israeli strikes and Iranian retaliation. Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, has emerged as a key intermediary between Washington and Tehran, with Islamabad signaling its readiness to host talks if both sides agree, according to officials cited by the report. On Monday, Trump announced a five-day pause on strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure, citing “very good and productive” talks with Tehran over the past two days. Iranian officials said they have received messages from some “friendly countries” relaying a US request for negotiations to end the war while denying any direct talks with Washington. — Agencies