Middle East crisis live: U.S. proposal to end war faces Iranian rejection as Trump pauses Hormuz operation

Iranian officials are pushing back hard against a reported U.S. proposal aimed at ending the widening Middle East crisis, calling it a “wishlist, not a reality” as President Donald Trump pauses a maritime operation in the Strait of Hormuz.

AP reported on May 6 that the Trump administration paused the U.S. operation for a short period to see whether an agreement with Iran can be finalized. The reported proposal would require Tehran to halt uranium enrichment, while the U.S. would lift sanctions, release frozen Iranian funds and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier reporting said Trump described the pause as a chance to reach a complete and final agreement with Iranian representatives. But Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Washington is still pursuing maximum pressure and unilateral demands that Iran cannot accept.

The White House has already tied reopening the strait to its Iran messaging this spring, underscoring how central maritime access and sanctions relief are to the talks. For now, however, the two sides remain far apart over whether there is a real deal on the table or only a set of terms one side considers unrealistic.

The immediate question is whether Iran will formally respond to the reported proposal and whether the pause in the Hormuz operation leads to a breakthrough or another round of confrontation.