The U.S. introduced a proposal about Iran's nuclear stockpile in its latest proposal to end the war with Iran, according to a new report.
Axios detailed that the proposal, submitted by special envoy Steve Witkoff, included a demand that Tehran commit not to move its enriched uranium out of its bombed facilities or restart any activity there as long as negotiations continue.
The demands follow Iran's suggestion to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, leaving nuclear negotiations for a future instance. The U.S. appeared to reject the proposal, with President Donald Trump saying on Wednesday that he is maintaining the blockade of Iranian ports until a deal that addresses the U.S.'s concerns about the country's nuclear program is reached.
The exchange of drafts, however, shows that there is some sort of diplomacy taking place despite the lack of in-person meetings. It is unclear whether gaps can be breached, especially on the nuclear matter.
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a statement this week that the country will "guard" its nuclear and missile technologies. A statement attributed to Khamenei and read by state-run media added that the future of the Persian Gulf will be "one without America."
However, markets reacted with optimism to the development, with oil prices dropping and stocks surging. Concretely, the U.S. benchmark, the West Texas Intermediate, fell almost 5% at 10:20 a.m. ET and dropped below $100 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, fell more than 3% at around the same time and clocked in at around $107.
Military options also remain a possibility, according to other reports. NBC News detailed that Tehran is looking to rebuild its military capabilities should hostilities resume.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commander, Admiral Brad Cooper, was also scheduled to brief Trump and members of his national security team on options to break the standstill, including a "short and powerful" military action. The president is expected to make a decision in the following days.
The U.S. military is also considering sending a hypersonic missile to the Middle East, according to another report. CENTCOM made the request after determining that Iran has moved missile launchers out of the range of its Precision Strike missile, a person familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.
The New York Post noted that, should the request be approved, it would be the first time the U.S. deploys a hypersonic missile, which has not yet been declared as fully operational.
Originally published on IBTimes
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