Back to Headlines
Politics
Apr 05, 2026

Zarif Unveils Comprehensive Peace Blueprint Amid Escalating Iran‑US‑Israel Conflict

AI Summary
Former Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif published a detailed roadmap in Foreign Affairs that calls for nuclear limits, a US‑Iran non‑aggression pact, sanctions relief and a regional security framework, aiming to end the widening US‑Israeli‑Iran war. Gulf leaders criticised the plan for overlooking Tehran’s attacks, while the proposal also suggests a multilateral fuel‑enrichment consortium involving China, Russia and the United States.

Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif presented a comprehensive peace roadmap in Foreign Affairs on Friday, seeking to move beyond a temporary cease‑fire in the war that erupted on February 28 after coordinated US‑Israeli strikes on Iran.

The plan urges Iran to place limits on its nuclear program under international monitoring, including a commitment to never pursue nuclear weapons and to blend its enriched uranium below 3.67 %. This would address the International Atomic Energy Agency’s estimate that Iran holds roughly 440 kg (970 lb) of uranium enriched to 60 %—a level close to the 90 % threshold needed for a bomb.

Zarif also proposes a mutual non‑aggression pact with the United States, coupled with the immediate lifting of all US sanctions and United Nations Security Council resolutions against Tehran.

To secure regional stability, he suggests forming a regional fuel‑enrichment consortium that would involve China, Russia and the United States alongside Iran and its Gulf neighbours, using West Asia’s sole enrichment facility. Additionally, a broader security framework could include Gulf states, UN Security Council powers and possibly Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey to guarantee freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has largely blocked since the conflict began.

Beyond security, Zarif calls for “mutually beneficial trade, economic and technological cooperation” between Iran and the United States, framing the roadmap as a “well‑timed off‑ramp” for President Donald Trump, who recently warned Iran it had 48 hours to negotiate a deal or face “all hell”.

Gulf officials reacted sharply. UAE diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash dismissed the proposal as ignoring Iran’s aggressive missile and drone attacks on Gulf infrastructure, calling the strategy “hubris & strategic failure.” Former Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani acknowledged the plan’s cleverness but warned that the war has “eroded the trust built over years” and increased regional danger.

The United States has offered a 15‑point cease‑fire plan, while Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt continue to push for direct talks, yet no substantive progress has emerged.

Should the roadmap gain traction, it could reopen the Strait of Hormuz—through which one‑fifth of global crude oil and natural gas normally flows—alleviate the economic shockwaves rippling through world markets, and reshape the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.