Trump rejects proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran says it is awaiting definitive US position
Trump Rejects Proposal to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
Qwenews.com – President Donald Trump rejects proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iran’s latest terms are unacceptable even as Tehran awaits a definitive response from Washington through mediators.
The dispute concerns a proposed return to maritime traffic through one of the world’s most important shipping corridors. Iran has linked reopening the waterway to broader issues, including sanctions relief, frozen assets and an end to military operations.
“I reject their proposal,” Trump said when asked about Iran’s plan.
Trump said he remained open to making a deal, but argued that the arrangement offered by Tehran could not be accepted. He portrayed Iran as seeking an immediate reopening of the strait while under growing pressure.
“They want to make a deal where they open the strait immediately because they’re losing so badly,” Trump said. “They want a make a deal, and I think that’s fine. I like making a deal too, but that deal would not be acceptable.”
Iran says its conditions remain unchanged
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had sent a new package to the United States earlier in the week. Under the proposal, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would resume and negotiations would restart if Washington met Iran’s stated conditions.
Araghchi did not publicly detail every condition. He said the proposal sought commitments included in a US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding signed in June, which later collapsed as fighting resumed.
That earlier understanding involved possible sanctions relief, the release of Iranian assets held abroad and an end to military operations, including those involving Lebanon. With those matters unresolved, Iran has treated navigation through the strait as part of a wider settlement rather than a separate issue.
After Trump rejects proposal to reopen the waterway, Araghchi said Iran would wait for an official US message conveyed by mediators before determining its next move.
“We will not back down from them,” Araghchi said.
Strait of Hormuz remains central to the standoff
Araghchi said Friday that normal maritime passage could be restored within seven days if Iran’s requirements were met. The foreign minister made the comments while in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
“If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened, a normal maritime passage restored within seven days. The choice now rests with the United States,” Araghchi said.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and is essential to international shipping and energy markets. Disruption in the narrow route can affect governments, businesses and consumers far beyond the region.
Iran has argued that security and navigation cannot be restored automatically while it faces military pressure, threats and maritime restrictions.
“You cannot bomb a country, threaten its annihilation, impose a maritime blockade, and coercive measures, and expect automatic restoration of security and navigation,” Araghchi said.
The White House had previously described mediated exchanges as positive and constructive. A US official said Washington believed it held a strong position because of its control of the Strait of Hormuz and did not see a need to act quickly.
Trump rejects proposal to reopen the strait under Iran’s current terms, leaving the two sides divided over whether maritime access can be separated from the larger conflict.
FAQ: What happens next?
Why has Trump rejected the proposal? Trump said Iran’s proposed agreement was not acceptable, although he indicated he remains open to diplomacy and a possible deal on different terms.
What does Iran want before reopening the strait? Iran says the United States must meet conditions connected to sanctions, assets held abroad and military operations before normal shipping can resume.
Could shipping resume soon? Araghchi said normal navigation could return within seven days if Iran’s conditions were fulfilled, but Tehran is awaiting a formal US position.