Trump Rejects Iran’s Seven-Day Strait of Hormuz Proposal

U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that he rejected Iran’s conditional proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days and resume nuclear negotiations.

“They made a proposal but I rejected it,” Trump told reporters, confirming earlier reporting by The Wall Street Journal. The Journal, citing unnamed U.S. officials, reported that Trump doubts Iran would meet U.S. demands and has told aides he expects American bombing of Iran to resume after the November midterm elections. CNBC said it could not independently confirm that account.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that Tehran would restore normal passage through the strait and restart talks if Washington met several conditions. Iranian officials said those included ending the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and other hostilities, lifting oil sanctions, and releasing frozen Iranian assets. Araghchi said the conditions could be completed within four or five days, allowing negotiations on a final agreement to begin on the seventh day.

The U.S. government had not issued a detailed public response to the terms. A U.S. official told Al Jazeera that Washington was in no hurry to respond and considered itself in a strong position. Another U.S. official said Friday that discussions with Iran through mediators remained positive and constructive, including talks over nuclear issues.

Araghchi said Iran would not reopen the strait until its conditions were fulfilled, while a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran would show no flexibility over its nuclear program even if Washington accepted the proposal.