Pakistan sends new Iranian peace proposal to US: report

Iran sent a new peace proposal to the United States with terms that appeared similar ‌to offers Washington has previously rejected, although a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday that the U.S. had softened positions on some issues.

A Pakistani source confirmed to Reuters that Islamabad, which has conveyed messages between the sides in the war in the Middle East since hosting the only round of peace talks last month, had shared ​the latest proposal with Washington. But the source suggested progress had been difficult.

The sides "keep changing their goalposts," the Pakistani source ​said, adding: "We don't have much time."

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that Tehran's views had been "conveyed to the ⁠American side through Pakistan" but gave no details. Washington did not immediately comment.

The Iranian proposal, as described by the senior Iranian source, appeared ​similar in many respects to Iran's previous offer, which U.S. President Donald Trump rejected last week as "garbage".

It would focus first on securing an end ​to the war, reopening the Strait of Hormuz - a major oil supply route that Iran has effectively blockaded - and lifting maritime sanctions.

More contentious issues around Iran's nuclear programme and uranium enrichment would be deferred to later rounds of talks, the source said.