Iran proposes opening Hormuz without nuclear concessions

Iran has proposed ending its closure of the Strait of Hormuz without requiring any agreement on its nuclear program, while demanding the United States lift its blockade of Iranian ports as part of any deal, according to two regional officials with knowledge of the proposal. Pakistan, acting as a mediator between the two countries, passed Iran's proposal to Washington, but President Donald Trump indicated he wants to include Iran's atomic program in any comprehensive agreement. The U.S. military's Central Command has turned away 38 ships during the blockade operation, while the standoff has killed at least 3,375 people in Iran and 2,509 in Lebanon since the war with Israel began, including 13 U.S. service members. The conflict has triggered cascading economic consequences across multiple industries. French airline Transavia announced flight cancellations in May and June citing rising fuel costs from the Middle East tensions, while China's government criticized U.S. sanctions on the Hengli Petrochemicals refinery for purchasing Iranian crude, warning it would safeguard Chinese company interests. Meanwhile, Malaysia-based Karex, the world's largest condom manufacturer producing 5 billion units annually, raised prices by up to 30 percent as the strait's closure disrupts petrochemical supply chains needed for raw materials. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Russia on Monday for meetings with President Vladimir Putin as part of diplomatic efforts following the conflict. The Hormuz closure, which has stranded hundreds of oil and gas tankers and choked off roughly one-fifth of the world's energy supply, has reignited longstanding concerns about the waterway's vulnerability and accelerated bypass projects. Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline is operating at maximum capacity of 7 million barrels per day, up from 5 million before the war, while the UAE pipeline moves another 1.8 million barrels daily to Fujairah. According to energy experts, current pipeline capacity would need to double to handle pre-war crude flows of 15 million barrels per day through the strait. Gulf states are now advancing plans for new pipelines, expanded export terminals, and the GCC Railway project targeting a 2,100-kilometer integrated network by 2030, though countries like Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar face significant geographic constraints with limited alternatives to Hormuz.