US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling the offer “unacceptable”.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had offered to restore maritime access and resume negotiations with Washington.
Trump said Iran wanted a deal because it was under pressure, while Washington maintained it was not in a hurry to reach an agreement.
'They’re Losing So Badly': Trump Rejects Iran's Proposal To Open Strait Of Hormuz
“I reject their proposal,” Trump told reporters when asked about Iran’s offer. “They (Iran) want to make a deal where they open the strait immediately because they’re losing so badly.”
Summary
US President Donald Trump on Saturday rejected Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying Tehran’s offer was “unacceptable”.
Trump’s remarks came after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had submitted a proposal to the US that would restore access through the strategic waterway and restart negotiations between the two countries.
“I reject their proposal,” Trump told reporters when asked about Iran’s offer. “They want to make a deal where they open the strait immediately because they’re losing so badly.”
While saying he was open to reaching an agreement, Trump added that the terms proposed by Iran “would not be acceptable”.
Araghchi said Iran’s plan would come into effect once Washington accepted the proposal. He did not disclose the full details of Tehran’s demands but said they were based on commitments included in a US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding signed in June.
That earlier understanding included measures related to sanctions relief, the release of frozen assets and a halt to military operations, including in Lebanon. The agreement collapsed soon after amid renewed hostilities.
“The choice now rests with the United States,” Araghchi said during his visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
He said that if the required conditions were met, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and normal maritime movement restored within seven days.
Araghchi argued that reopening the waterway could not happen without addressing wider tensions between the two countries.
“You cannot bomb a country, threaten its annihilation, impose a maritime blockade, and coercive measures, and expect automatic restoration of security and navigation,” he said.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key global shipping route through which a significant share of the world’s oil trade passes, making any disruption a concern for international energy markets.
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A White House official had earlier said Washington was engaged in “positive and constructive discussions through the mediators” with Tehran, CNN reported.
“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.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also indicated that any agreement with Iran would require prolonged negotiations.
“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,” Rubio said earlier this week.
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