Camille Naredo

A view of a damaged residential neighbourhood following a military strike on the Iranian capital Tehran on March 15, 2026. Atta Kenare, AFP/File

A view of a damaged residential neighbourhood following a military strike on the Iranian capital Tehran on March 15, 2026. Iran's Foreign Minister said in an interview published on March 15, that the war pitting his country against the United States and Israel will only end when Tehran can be certain it will not be restarted. On February 28, Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran, killing its supreme leader Ayatollah and triggering a war that spread across the Middle East. (Photo by Atta KENARE / AFP) /

Article (news)

IRAN

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1777389592658AFP__20260315__A3BZ6UD__v1__MidRes__IranUsIsraelWar.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A view of a damaged residential neighbourhood following a military strike on the Iranian capital Tehran on March 15, 2026. Atta Kenare, AFP/File" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A view of a damaged residential neighborhood following a military strike on the Iranian capital Tehran on March 15, 2026. <em>Atta Kenare, AFP/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>WASHINGTON -- Efforts to end the Middle East war appeared at a standstill on Tuesday, with the US considering Tehran&#x27;s latest offer to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran saying Washington could no longer dictate terms.</p><p>Iran has blockaded the waterway -- a vital conduit for oil and gas shipments -- since the start of the US-Israeli offensive two months ago, sending shockwaves through the global economy.</p><p>CNN reported that US President Donald Trump was unlikely to accept Iran&#x27;s proposal to restore traffic in the strait, as Qatar warned of the possibility of a &quot;frozen conflict&quot; if a definitive resolution is not found.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/4/28/us-says-examining-latest-iran-proposal-1329" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">READ: US says examining latest Iran proposal</a></div><p>&quot;We do not want to see a return to hostilities in the region anytime soon, we do not want to see a frozen conflict that ends up being thawed every time there is a political reason,&quot; Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said at a press conference.</p><p>While a ceasefire has halted the fighting, diplomacy aimed at permanently ending the war has proven inconclusive.</p><p>&quot;We are very keen to see an end to this war that is sustainable,&quot; Ansari added.</p><p>Trump met with top security advisors on Monday to discuss the Iranian proposal after Tehran passed &quot;written messages&quot; to Washington via Pakistan spelling out its red lines, including on nuclear issues and Hormuz, Iran&#x27;s Fars news agency reported.</p><p>The proposal was &quot;being discussed,&quot; spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told a White House briefing.</p><p>The plan would reportedly see Tehran ease its chokehold on the strait and Washington lift its retaliatory blockade on Iranian ports while broader negotiations continue, including over the thorny question of Iran&#x27;s nuclear program.</p><p>But CNN, citing two sources familiar with the matter, said Trump had signaled at Monday&#x27;s meeting that he was reluctant to take Hormuz off the table without resolving the nuclear question, though it was unclear what his next steps would be.</p><p>Iranian defence ministry spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik said on Tuesday that Washington &quot;must abandon its illegal and irrational demands.&quot;</p><p>&quot;The United States is no longer in a position to dictate its policy to independent nations,&quot; he said, according to state TV.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/4/28/crude-extends-gains-as-trump-considers-latest-iran-proposal-1257">READ: Crude extends gains as Trump considers latest Iran proposal</a></div><p>Asked about Iran&#x27;s proposal, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News &quot;it&#x27;s better than what we thought they were going to submit,&quot; but questioned whether it was genuine.</p><p>&quot;They&#x27;re very good negotiators,&quot; he said, &quot;and we have to ensure that any deal that is made, any agreement that is made, is one that definitively prevents them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point.&quot;</p><p>Mediator Pakistan previously hosted an initial, unsuccessful round of US-Iran peace talks, but hopes for a second over the weekend ultimately came to nothing.</p><p>Trump has said that if Iran wants talks, &quot;they can call us.&quot;</p><p>Tehran would need guarantees that Washington and Israel would not attack again if it was to offer security assurances for the Gulf, Iran&#x27;s envoy to the UN said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- &#x27;Up in the air&#x27; -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Km8zhjm542Q?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>On a visit to Russia, where he met President Vladimir Putin, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the war had shown &quot;Iran&#x27;s true power&quot; and stability, but back home in Tehran, the mood was more sober.</p><p>&quot;Everything in the country is up in the air right now. I have not worked for a long time,&quot; small business owner Farshad told Paris-based AFP journalists.</p><p>&quot;The country is in complete economic collapse.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/4/28/iran-fm-blames-us-for-failure-of-talks-as-he-meets-putin-0750">READ: Iran FM blames US for failure of talks as he meets Putin</a></div><p>Tehran resident Shervin, a photographer, said he too was feeling the pinch.</p><p>&quot;It is the first time that I have reached a point where I was late on my rent,&quot; he said.</p><p>Iran&#x27;s blockade of Hormuz has cut off flows of oil, gas and fertilizer and sent prices soaring.</p><p>Trump faces domestic pressure to find an off-ramp as prices rise, with midterm elections due in November and polls showing the war is unpopular among Americans.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- &#x27;Another year of fighting&#x27; -</strong></div><p>Violence has continued on the war&#x27;s Lebanese front, despite a recently extended ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, which drew Lebanon into the Middle East war by firing rockets at Israel.</p><p>Israel responded with strikes and a ground invasion.</p><p>Israel&#x27;s military on Tuesday warned residents of more than a dozen villages and towns in southern Lebanon to immediately evacuate, saying Hezbollah&#x27;s &quot;violation of the ceasefire&quot; was compelling it to act.</p><p>Israel maintains that under the terms of the truce, it can act against imminent threats.</p><p>Hezbollah&#x27;s leader Naim Qassem on Monday vowed the armed group would &quot;not back down.&quot;</p><p>Israeli army chief of staff Eyal Zamir said 2026 was &quot;likely to be another year of fighting&quot; for Israel on all fronts.</p>

<p>Efforts to end the Middle East war appeared at a standstill on Tuesday, with the US considering Tehran's latest offer to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran saying Washington could no longer dictate terms.</p>

Efforts to end the Middle East war appeared at a standstill on Tuesday, with the US considering Tehran's latest offer to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran saying Washington could no longer dictate terms.

Peace efforts stall as US examines latest Iran proposal

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Peace efforts stall as US examines latest Iran proposal

AFP teams in Washington,

Tehran,

Beirut and Jerusalem

Published April 29, 2026 12:36 AM PHT

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