US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s proposal to restore normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, while Tehran says it is still awaiting a formal response from Washington through mediators.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday, September 26, that Tehran had received an initial reaction from Trump but had not yet received Washington’s final position.
Iran Awaits Formal US Response
According to Araghchi, Iran presented its conditions for reopening the strategic waterway and resuming negotiations with the United States during meetings in New York. The conditions were subsequently conveyed to Washington through mediating countries.
“We have heard the US president’s initial reaction, but we have not yet received a final message from the mediators,” Araghchi said, adding that Tehran would decide its next steps after receiving the official response.
Iran has said it would restore normal maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if its conditions are met. The proposal includes measures concerning the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and sanctions on Iranian oil exports, as well as the release of Iranian assets held by the United States.
Trump Calls Iran’s Conditions Unacceptable
Trump, however, said Saturday that he was rejecting the Iranian proposal, describing the terms as unacceptable. He also claimed that the United States has “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz.
The disagreement leaves the status of the strategically important waterway unresolved. Iran has restricted access to the strait during the conflict, while the United States has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. The situation has disrupted shipping through a route that is crucial to global energy markets.
Tehran Says Diplomacy Is the Way Forward
Araghchi has maintained that the crisis can be resolved through diplomatic negotiations and said Iran would not give up what it considers its rights under pressure.
On Friday, he said that if Washington took the necessary steps, normal maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz could resume within seven days. He said the measures expected from the United States were already outlined in a memorandum of understanding reached between the two sides in June.
“Iran’s position is that the choice now rests with the United States,” Araghchi said at the time.
