The U.S. president held talks in Washington on Monday with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to evaluate a proposal to secure the safe passage of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf. Tehran offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end shipping attacks in exchange for the release of $8 billion in frozen Iranian assets and the lifting of naval and economic blockades, though Reuters reported that no imminent agreement to end the regional conflict is expected.
The proposal faces resistance from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who described Iran’s demands as simply unacceptable, while hawkish advisers have urged Trump to prioritize a full surrender of Tehran’s nuclear program. Brent crude prices fell below $95 a barrel as investors weighed the potential for a diplomatic breakthrough. Despite the internal pressure to escalate, Trump indicated that renewed military strikes against Iran are unlikely so long as diplomatic negotiations continue.
