US President Donald Trump has rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the ongoing fighting in the Middle East.
Gatekeepers News reports that Iran presented the proposal during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, with the offer reportedly transmitted to the United States through Qatari mediators. Under the proposal, Tehran said it could reopen the strategic waterway and bring hostilities in the region to an end within seven days.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Saturday, Trump confirmed that he had rejected the proposal.
“I reject their proposal. … I rejected their deal.”
Trump said Iran was seeking an agreement because the conflict and restrictions around the Strait of Hormuz were causing severe economic pressure.
“They want to make a deal to open the Hormuz Strait immediately because they’re losing so badly. We’re winning tremendously.”
He added that he was not opposed to reaching an agreement but questioned Iran’s reason for wanting the waterway reopened.
“They want to make a deal and I think that’s fine, I like making a deal too.”
Iran had proposed reopening the strait and pausing the fighting in exchange for concessions from Washington, including an easing of military pressure and the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports. Iranian officials had previously said the country could reopen the waterway within seven days if those conditions were met.
The Strait of Hormuz is a major global energy shipping route, making its closure or restricted operation a significant concern for international oil supplies and the wider global economy. The ongoing conflict has already disrupted oil flows through the waterway.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran remained committed to a diplomatic solution following Trump’s rejection of the proposal. Iran has maintained that reopening the strait would depend on agreed conditions and negotiations.
The rejection leaves the proposed arrangement uncertain, as Washington and Tehran remain divided over the conditions for ending the conflict and restoring normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
