US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran's latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume negotiations to end the conflict.
Tehran had conveyed the proposal to the US through intermediaries, offering to reopen the strait to commercial shipping within seven days if Washington met certain conditions set by the Iranian side.
Under the plan presented by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the US would lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports, ease sanctions on Iranian oil sales and respect a ceasefire that would also include Lebanon. According to Tehran, the first steps would be completed within four or five days, with the Strait of Hormuz opened on the sixth day. On the seventh day, negotiations on a broader agreement would begin.
Trump made it clear on Saturday that he does not accept this formula.
"I reject their proposal. They want to make a deal to open the strait immediately, because they are losing badly. I like to make deals too, but this deal would not be acceptable," Trump told reporters.
On the other hand, Araghchi said that Tehran is still waiting for an official US response through intermediaries. According to him, Iran has seen Trump's public reaction, but has not yet received formal communication from the American side.
The Iranian Foreign Minister also stated that the conditions set by Tehran for the reopening of Hormuz will not change. He said that a negotiated solution remains the only way out of the impasse.
The Iranian proposal is similar to a deal reached between the two countries in June, which later collapsed. The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remains a major sticking point between Washington and Tehran, as the waterway is a vital corridor for global energy transport.
For now, the negotiations remain uncertain, while the next step is expected to be the official US communication through intermediaries and Tehran's reaction to it.
