UNITED States President Donald Trump has indicated cautious engagement with a new Iranian proposal, saying he has been briefed on the “concept of the deal” but is withholding judgement pending its precise terms, while warning that military strikes remain an option if Tehran “misbehaves”.
“They told me about the concept of the deal. They’re going to give me the exact wording now,” Reuters cited Trump saying when questioned before boarding a flight in Florida.
He added on social media that he could not imagine the proposals would be acceptable and suggested Iran had “not paid a big enough price” for its actions.
Pressed on whether he might resume strikes, Trump said: “I don’t want to say that. I mean, I can’t tell that to a reporter. If they misbehave, if they do something bad, right now we’ll see. But it’s a possibility that could happen.”
The comments come as a senior Iranian official confirmed that Tehran has formally conveyed a revised proposal to Washington through mediators, offering to reopen the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz and ease disruptions to global energy flows before addressing the more contentious issue of its nuclear programme.
Under the proposal, Iran would restore maritime traffic through the strait, which carries roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies, while the United States would lift its blockade of Iranian shipping. Negotiations over nuclear restrictions would be deferred to a later stage.
“Under this framework, negotiations over the more complicated nuclear issue have been moved to the final stage to create a more conducive atmosphere,” the Iranian official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Trump has repeatedly insisted that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon and said he remained dissatisfied with the latest offer. Meanwhile, Iranian leaders have signalled readiness to pursue diplomacy if Washington shifts its approach.
The proposal is reported to include a broad set of demands from Tehran, including the withdrawal of United States forces from areas surrounding Iran, the lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen assets, compensation payments and an end to hostilities across multiple fronts, including Lebanon.
The United States and Israel halted a joint bombing campaign against Iran four weeks ago, yet no comprehensive agreement has been reached to end a conflict that has disrupted global energy supplies, unsettled markets and heightened fears of a wider economic downturn.
Iran has effectively restricted most shipping through the Gulf for more than two months, while Washington imposed its own counter-blockade on vessels linked to Iranian ports last month.
Despite signalling that he is in no rush, Trump faces mounting domestic pressure to resolve the crisis, with rising fuel prices threatening political repercussions for his Republican Party ahead of the November midterm elections.
While maintaining that a military path is not his preference “on a human basis”, Trump has also asserted that he does not require congressional approval to extend hostilities beyond statutory deadlines, arguing that a ceasefire had already “terminated” active conflict.
At the heart of the standoff remains a fundamental impasse: Washington demands binding guarantees that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons, while Tehran maintains that its nuclear programme is strictly for peaceful purposes and seeks recognition of its right to enrich uranium under any future agreement. – May 3, 2026