“Iran is losing very badly. They are interested in making a deal, and I think that’s a good thing. I like making deals too,” U.S. President Donald Trump said, directly rejecting Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House on Saturday, September 26, Trump made it clear that he was rejecting Iran’s proposed agreement.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said that the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and normal maritime traffic restored within just seven days if the necessary conditions were met.
Under Tehran’s proposal, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days and resume negotiations over its nuclear program if the United States lifted its naval blockade and restrictions on Iranian oil sales and agreed to a ceasefire.
However, Trump said the proposal was not acceptable, arguing that Iran was seeking such a deal because it was in serious trouble.
Earlier, *The Wall Street Journal* reported that Trump had rejected the proposal and was considering plans to resume bombing Iran after the U.S. midterm elections in November. Trump also posted a picture of the Strait of Hormuz on social media and sarcastically referred to it as the “Trump Strait.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. administration said that negotiations through intermediaries were still progressing in a positive and constructive manner. Analysts suggested that the proposal could have been attractive to Trump because it might help lower energy prices and bring an end to the conflict ahead of the midterm elections.
At the same time, the diplomatic initiative has reportedly exposed some differences within Iran’s leadership. While some hardline politicians have criticized the government’s approach, President Masoud Pezeshkian said that foreign-policy decisions are made collectively through coordination among the country’s various institutions.
