Trump rejects Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday rejected Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling it “unacceptable.”
Related video above: Trump debates deal, shifts tone on ‘annihilating’ Iran
Iran’s top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, announced earlier this week that Tehran had submitted a fresh offer to the United States that would see the critical waterway reopen and negotiations resume between the two nations in exchange for the U.S. meeting several long-standing demands.
The Iranian foreign minister did not elaborate on the exact conditions but said they were “nothing more” than what was included in the U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed in June but collapsed shortly after amid renewed fighting.
That initial agreement included provisions on sanctions relief; the release of frozen assets; and a cessation of military operations, including in Lebanon.
But Trump poured cold water on Iran’s latest proposal Saturday. “I reject their proposal,” the U.S. president said when asked by reporters what he thought about Iran’s plan.
“They want to make a deal where they open the strait immediately because they’re losing so badly,” he added. “They want (to) make a deal, and I think that’s fine. I like making a deal too, but that deal would not be acceptable.”
The proposal would have begun “as soon as the United States accepts this plan,” Araghchi said Friday.
“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 told reporters during a visit to New York for this week’s United Nations General Assembly.
“You cannot bomb a country, threaten its annihilation, impose a maritime blockade, and coercive measures, and expect automatic restoration of security and navigation,” Araghchi added.
‘We are not in a rush’
In response to Araghchi’s comments, a White House official previously told CNN they were having “positive and constructive discussions through the mediators.”
“The United States is in a very strong position with control of the Strait of Hormuz, so we are not in a rush,” the official said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a similar tone earlier this week, saying, “If there’s going to be a deal with Iran … it’s going to involve a lot of hard work over a period of time.”
The Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. officials, reported Friday that Trump told staff that a renewed bombing campaign is likely after the upcoming midterm elections. The officials were reported as saying Trump’s views could change over the coming weeks.
CNN has reached out to the White House for comment on the report.
This story has been updated with additional details.
