UNITED STATES PERSPECTIVE

The White House maintains a firm but passive line: if Tehran wants to negotiate, it need only pick up the phone. Trump repeated this message on Fox News after canceling the mediation meeting planned in Islamabad, citing insufficient progress. The week has nonetheless grown tense with publication of an Iranian three-phase proposal—gradual Hormuz reopening, freeze on civilian nuclear program, discussions on regional security architecture—which the administration examines without committing. Congress observes a bipartisan confrontation beginning to erode: several Republicans close to oil industry circles worry about collateral effects of the blockade on markets. Bloomberg notes curious 'market exuberance' betting on swift resolution. Meanwhile, a hardline Iranian figure who publicly mocked Trump is positioned to lead nuclear negotiations on the Iranian side, further complicating any diplomatic opening.