Iran Holds Out for U.S. Reply
Iran has said it will wait for an official response from U.S. negotiators after President Donald Trump rejected a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping within seven days.
In a post on Telegram, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged Trump’s denial and accused the president of making contradictory statements earlier in the week.
Trump told reporters at the White House that Tehran’s proposal was “unacceptable” and that the U.S. was ready to open the strait immediately because “they’re losing so badly.”
The foreign minister had earlier at the U.N. said an agreement could be reached if “necessary conditions” were met, echoing those in a memorandum of understanding signed in 2023.
Iran raised the reopening of the strait and ending hostilities during negotiations on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York this past week. The crucial waterway, which carries about a fifth of the world’s gas and oil, has effectively been closed since the war began in February.
'I’m rejecting their deal,' Trump said on Saturday, adding that the U.S. already had “total control” of the strait with “massive amounts of oil” passing through it.
Oman, acting as a mediator between the U.S. and Iran, urged all parties to maintain open dialogue to resolve the crisis. Oman’s foreign minister said “all parties” should cooperate with Oman to safeguard navigation.
Trump’s refusal was supported by U.S. ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker, who told Fox News that Iran offered “half measures” and “illusory deals” to appear respectable on the world stage.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said U.S. economic pressure is hitting Tehran, noting that Turkey, Oman and the United Arab Emirates had halted flights from various Iranian airlines and that some UAE and Turkish banks had stopped transactions with Iran.
The Trump administration’s sanctions, dubbed "Operation Economic Outcast," aim to push Tehran to stop attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Some economists question the effectiveness of these sanctions, noting that Iran’s major trading partners, especially China, have largely ignored U.S. sanctions and continue buying Iranian oil.
