Nothing was disclosed about the peace plan, and there were conflicting signals from the Iranians about how seriously they were taking it.
President Trump said a U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would “remain in full force.” The shift came after the defense secretary said U.S. efforts to free trapped vessels would continue.
President Trump on Tuesday abruptly paused an American initiative to help guide stranded ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
With President Trump’s visit to Beijing looming, China is pushing Iran to negotiate even as its companies export material that could be used by Iran’s military.
The details of the latest plan were unclear, and President Trump did not specify his objections.
Negotiations to end the war are at an impasse over Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz, which remains mostly shut.
Cease-fires in Lebanon and Iran are on shaky ground, with military attacks flaring and direct talks between Washington and Tehran to end their war stalled.
The last-minute scuttling of the trip to Pakistan was the latest sign of how far apart the two sides are on reaching a deal to end the Iran war.
President Trump withdrew from the Obama-era nuclear accord in 2018, saying it was the worst deal ever. But Iran responded with an enrichment spree that haunts the negotiations to this day.
The conflict has morphed into a volatile standoff in the Strait of Hormuz, as the economic costs mount and President Trump faces a political backlash at home.