A draft Iran peace framework shared with Israel and allied governments outlines phased de-escalation, regional talks and shipping protections as Washington warns against any toll system in the Strait of Hormuz.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump has shared a draft Iran peace proposal with Israel and other U.S. allies as diplomatic discussions continue over a possible agreement aimed at easing regional tensions, according to The Guardian.
The proposal has not been finalized, and officials involved in the discussions are still reviewing possible changes to the structure, timing and scope of the agreement. The Guardian reported that the circulation of draft frameworks is a routine diplomatic step used to gauge support from allies, identify objections and determine whether formal negotiations can move forward.
Vice President JD Vance said the United States has not yet reached an agreement with Iran, though he described the talks as close.
The United States is “not there yet,” Vance said, adding that the parties are “close.”
Vance said negotiations remain active and that unresolved issues are still being addressed, while expressing cautious optimism that an agreement remains possible.
According to The Guardian, the draft framework lays out a phased process intended to reduce hostilities and create space for broader negotiations among the United States, Iran and regional stakeholders. The first stage would reportedly focus on immediate de-escalation, including reduced military activity and expanded diplomatic engagement.
The proposal also includes measures intended to restore commercial shipping through strategic waterways. Those steps would be paired with possible sanctions relief if Iran complies with agreed conditions.
Later stages would address Iran’s nuclear program under international monitoring, though officials have not resolved the order of those steps or the scope of commitments that would be required. The framework also calls for broader regional security talks involving multiple countries, reflecting concern that the conflict could spread beyond its current boundaries.
The Guardian reported that some Israeli and regional officials have raised concerns about parts of the draft, including the timing of nuclear-related provisions and the use of phased concessions.
Neither Washington nor Tehran has approved the agreement, and diplomatic efforts involving several international partners remain underway.
The draft peace effort comes as the Trump administration is also warning against any attempt to impose tolls on ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime corridors for oil and gas shipments.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said May 28 that Oman had assured the United States it does not intend to support or facilitate any plan to charge vessels for passage through the strait.
Bessent’s comments followed Trump’s remarks earlier May 28 that the United States could take military action if Oman were involved in efforts to charge tolls for passage through the waterway. Trump said the strait must remain open to international shipping and should not be controlled by any one party.
“Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we’ll have to blow them up. They understand that,” Trump said.
Bessent told reporters at the White House that Trump’s remarks were meant to emphasize the seriousness of maintaining freedom of navigation in the strait.
“I had a call with the Omani ambassador this morning, and he assured me that there were no plans for tolling the strait,” Bessent said.
“As he said, our countries have had 200 years of good relations. He wants to have another 200 more, and I told him that this was a nonstarter and he did not want to risk either the Omani individuals or Omani financial institutions getting sanctioned.”
Oman previously served as a mediator in U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, which later collapsed after U.S. and Israeli forces launched a military campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear weapons capabilities.
The widening conflict has affected commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, where a significant share of global energy shipments pass. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps told vessels in April to travel through Iranian waters near Larak Island to avoid possible naval mines in the usual shipping lanes, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
At the time, the International Maritime Organization, the United Nations’ shipping agency, said there was no international agreement allowing tolls to be imposed on vessels transiting international straits.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said May 25 that Iran was working with Oman on a protocol intended to protect maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Baghaei denied that Iran was charging tolls and said the terminology used to describe the effort should be accurate.
“First, the measures by Iran and Oman to draft a protocol or mechanism to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz are a responsible step and are in accordance with international law, both for the interests and national security of Iran and Oman as coastal states, and for the public good of the international community,” Baghaei said, according to a May 25 post on the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s Telegram account.
“Naturally, in this process, the services that are provided—navigation services, plus the necessary measures to protect the environment of the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf, and the Sea of Oman—require the collection of fees. Therefore, these should not be referred to as a ’toll‘ or ’duty.’ Iran and Oman are making responsible efforts along this path, and we hope to reach a final outcome as soon as possible.”
Bessent issued a separate warning in a May 28 post on X, saying the U.S. Treasury would pursue entities involved in any tolling system affecting the strait.
“The United States Government will not tolerate any effort to impose a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz,” Bessent wrote. “All nations should reject outright any efforts by Iran to disrupt the free flow of commerce.”
Bessent said Treasury would “aggressively target” entities involved in imposing tolls on vessels transiting the strait and would penalize any partners willing to participate.