United States President Donald Trump has rejected a seven-day proposal by Iran to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, amid renewed diplomatic efforts to end the prolonged conflict between Washington and Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, had announced the proposal at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, saying Tehran was prepared to restore normal maritime passage through the vital waterway within seven days if the United States met conditions set out by Iran, including lifting naval blockade and oil sanctions.
But citing US officials familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had rejected the proposal.
The development came as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian returned to Tehran following his participation in the UN General Assembly, where he held talks with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and reiterated Iran’s willingness to negotiate with Washington.
“Iran has not walked away from the negotiating table, but given past experiences, it no longer trusts the United States,” Pezeshkian said, according to Iranian state media.
Araghchi said Iran had conveyed the proposal to the United States through Qatar, placing the responsibility for its implementation on Washington.
“Iran has conveyed to the United States, through Qatar, a concrete seven-day plan. If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened, and normal maritime passage restored within seven days.
“The choice now rests with the United States. Iran does not accept coercion, threats or intimidation, and Iran will not surrender its sovereign rights under pressure.”
Under the proposal, Iran was demanding a cessation of hostilities across the Middle East for seven days, including in Lebanon, before reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran was also seeking the lifting of US sanctions on Iranian oil, the release of frozen Iranian assets estimated at more than $12 billion and an end to the US naval blockade of Iran.
Iran said the conditions were based on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) reached with the United States earlier in the year, which was intended to provide a framework for ending the conflict, reopening the waterway and resuming negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Pezeshkian, speaking in an interview yesterday, said the implementation of the proposal could begin immediately if Washington accepted the terms.
“The process will begin from the very day they accept it. We had previously reached an agreement based on the MoU that was signed in Pakistan. If the United States agrees to proceed in that way, everything will return to the way it was before,” he added.
The Strait of Hormuz emerged as one of the central flashpoints in the conflict because of its importance to global oil supplies and international shipping.
Iran maintains that vessels must obtain authorisation before passing through the waterway, citing security and sovereignty concerns. Ships accused of refusing to comply have been targeted, while the United States has carried out retaliatory strikes against Iranian coastal areas.
Earlier in the week, Araghchi held talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff as part of renewed diplomatic contacts aimed at finding a way out of the conflict.
However, the reported rejection of Tehran’s latest proposal has raised fresh uncertainty over the prospects of a negotiated settlement.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was sceptical that Tehran would fulfil the conditions demanded by Washington and considered renewed military action a possibility.
Trump also posted an image on his Truth Social platform showing a map of the Strait of Hormuz with the waterway labelled “Trump Strait”.
Meanwhile, Hossein Mohebi, a spokesman for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, said Tehran would continue its response to Washington until its demands were met.
“We will not cease punishing the US until Iran’s seven conditions are met,” he was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.
Sunday Ehigiator
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