Entertainment
Iran proposes deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz, defer nuclear talks: report
- Araghchi ‘raised plan’ to defer nuclear talks in Islamabad meetings.
- Tells mediators no consensus how to address American demands.
- Ceasefire can be extended or converted into permanent end to war: proposal.
Iran, through Pakistani mediators, has offered a new proposal on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the war, with nuclear negotiations postponed for a later stage, US media outlet Axios reported, citing an American official and two sources with knowledge of the matter.
Hopes of reviving peace efforts receded on Saturday when US President Donald Trump scrapped a visit to Islamabad by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi shuttled to and from mediators Pakistan and Oman on Sunday before flying to Russia, with the two sides still seemingly far apart on issues including Iran’s nuclear ambitions and access through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said Iran could telephone if it wants to negotiate an end to their two-month war.
“If they want to talk, they can come to us, or they can call us. You know, there is a telephone. We have nice, secure lines,” Trump told “The Sunday Briefing” on Fox News.
“They know what has to be in the agreement. It’s very simple: They cannot have a nuclear weapon; otherwise, there’s no reason to meet,” Trump said.
Iran has long demanded Washington acknowledge its right to enrich uranium, which Tehran says it only seeks for peaceful purposes, but which Western powers say is aimed at building nuclear weapons.
Although a ceasefire has paused full‑scale fighting in the conflict, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, no agreement has been reached on terms to end a war that has killed thousands, driven up oil prices, fuelled inflation and darkened the outlook for global growth.
Axios, while citing two sources with knowledge, reported that the Iranian foreign minister raised the plan to bypass the nuclear issue during his meetings in Islamabad.
According to one of the sources, Araghchi made it clear to the Pakistani, Egyptian, Turkish and Qatari mediators over the weekend that there’s no consensus inside the Iranian leadership about how to address the US demands.
Under the proposal, Axios reported, the immediate focus would be on reopening the strait and lifting the blockade before moving to broader negotiations.
As part of this framework, the existing ceasefire would either be extended for a prolonged period or converted into a permanent end to the war, the sources said.
The proposal envisages that negotiations on the nuclear issue would begin only at a later stage, after maritime access is restored and blockade-related concerns are addressed.
The White House has received the proposal, though it remains unclear whether Washington is prepared to consider or pursue the framework.
“These are sensitive diplomatic discussions and the US will not negotiate through the press. As the president has said, the United States holds the cards and will only make a deal that puts the American people first, never allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” White House spokesperson Olivia Wales told Axios.
With his approval ratings falling, Trump faces domestic pressure to end the unpopular war. Iran’s leaders, though weakened militarily, have found leverage in negotiations with their ability to stop shipping in the strait, which normally carries a fifth of global oil shipments.
Tehran has largely closed the strait while Washington has imposed a blockade of Iranian ports.
US and Iran’s extensive disagreements
Disagreements between the US and Iran extend beyond Tehran’s nuclear programme and control of the strait.
Trump wants to limit Iran’s support for its regional proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, and curb its ability to strike U.S. allies with ballistic missiles. Iran wants a lifting of sanctions and an end to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah.
In Lebanon, Israeli strikes killed 14 people and wounded 37 on Sunday, the health ministry said. The Israeli military warned residents to leave seven towns beyond the “buffer zone” it occupied before a ceasefire that has failed to fully halt hostilities.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) raised its benchmark policy rate by 100 basis points (bps) to 11.5% on Monday, opting for cautious tightening as oil price volatility and renewed inflation risks clouded the economic outlook.
The move came as the Monetary Policy Committee faced a finely balanced decision. A Reuters poll had shown that six of 10 analysts expected the central bank to keep the rate unchanged at 10.5%, while three forecast a 50-basis-point hike and one expected a larger 100-basis-point increase.
Pakistan’s CPI inflation quickened to 7.3% year-on-year in March from 7% in February, breaching the SBP’s 5%–7% target range. Some analysts warned that inflation could move towards double digits in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year if external pressures persisted.
Oil prices have remained volatile due to the Iran-US conflict, keeping global markets on edge and raising concerns over Pakistan’s import bill.
The SBP has cut rates by a cumulative 1,150 basis points since June 2024, when they peaked at a record 22%, and last reduced the rate by 50 basis points in January.
Prince Harry, who lives in Montecito with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children Archie and Lilibet, is said to be taking all measures to protect his children from an unseen threat.
The Duke of Sussex, 41, still can’t rescue himself from the shadow of a formidable incident that took her mother Princess Diana’s life, leaving him with a life-long trauma.
King Charles’ estranged son has spoken candidly about the enduring pain of his mother’s passing at her prime age. she was just 36.
Now, Harry’s deepest concern is that his and Meghan’s children could one day be drawn into the same celebrity spotlight that preceded Princess Diana’s fatal crash in paris in 1997.
Prince William’s younger brother Harry made the remarks during a public discussion on fatherhood at a Movember charity event in Melbourne, Australia.
Speaking on stage about the period before the birth of his son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, now six, in 2019, and daughter Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, four, in 2021, Harry revealed undergoing therapy to address unresolved grief stemming from Diana’s tragic death.
Undoubtedly, Harry’s deep-rooted fear about his own past adds to his worries about his kids.
He’s taking all measures to secure their children from any untoward situation as the spotlight that surrounded Diana is something he has never escaped.
He does not want to live in the fear that his children could also face similar pressures as for Harry, the memory of his mother’s crash isn’t just history. It’s a constant warning.
His biggest fear is that if his children are pulled too far into the celebrity world, they could be exposed to the same dangers that led to his mother’s death, one insider told Radar.
A WNBA star is setting the record straight about her rumoured involvement in Megan Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson’s breakup.
Seattle Storm Guard Lexie Brown has shut down rumours that she was the woman with whom Thompson allegedly cheated on the Grammy-winning rapper.
“I’ve seen what’s being said online, and I want to be clear, none of it is true, and I have no involvement in this situation,” Brown, 31, wrote on her Instagram Stories on Sunday, April 26.
The basketball pro added, “This week marks the start of an important and exciting new season for me, and my focus is fully on that.”
Brown’s clarification came amid a viral claim that she had a part to play in the shocking break-up, which came to light over the weekend.
On Saturday, April 25, Megan Thee Stallion — real name Megan Jovon Ruth Pete — announced that she broke up with the NBA star due to his alleged unfaithfulness and inability to commit to her despite being together for almost a year.
“Cheating, had me around your whole family playing house… got ‘cold feet,’” Megan wrote on her Instagram Stories. “Holding you down through all your HORRIBLE mood swings and treatment towards me during your basketball season now you don’t know if you can be ‘monogamous’????” added Megan.
Shortly afterwards, X user @Areyoudvmb alleged that Brown has been “posting on her close friends messages between Klay and her that Klay was telling her his and Megan’s relationship is just for social media.”
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