WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and halt fighting across the Middle East, according to a Wall Street Journal report, dealing a setback to diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and restore shipping through the vital waterway.
The report, citing unnamed U.S. officials, said Trump told aides he expects the United States to resume bombing Iran after the November congressional elections. Reuters could not immediately independently verify the report.
Iran puts seven-day plan before Washington
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi told reporters at the United Nations on Friday that Tehran had sent Washington a “concrete seven-day plan” through Qatari mediators.
Under the proposal, the seven-day timeline would begin once the United States accepts the plan. Araghchi said Washington would first need to take certain steps that could require four or five days.
The Strait of Hormuz would then reopen on the sixth day, followed by U.S.-Iran talks on the seventh day aimed at reaching a broader agreement on mutually agreed issues.
“I can tell you if there is seriousness in the US side to come to a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, everything is now prepared,” Araghchi said.
He added that the choice now rests with Washington and rejected any agreement reached under pressure.
“Iran does not accept coercion, threats, or intimidation, and Iran will not surrender its sovereign rights under pressure,” he said.
Tehran seeks end to fighting
Iran’s proposal goes beyond reopening the strategic waterway and calls for a halt to fighting across the region.
Araghchi said the plan would cover all fronts, including Lebanon, and could lead to broader negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
The proposal would require the United States to lift its blockade of Iranian ports, release Iran’s frozen funds and waive sanctions on Iranian oil, according to Araghchi.
A U.S. official previously told Reuters that Washington and Tehran were engaged in “positive and constructive discussions through the mediators.”
However, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump remained skeptical Iran would meet his demands and had told aides he considered renewed bombing likely.
Nuclear issue could return to talks
The proposed negotiations could also reopen discussions over Iran’s nuclear program.
Trump has repeatedly said Iran must not acquire a nuclear weapon. Tehran, meanwhile, has indicated it would not surrender what it considers its sovereign rights, including uranium enrichment.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reaffirmed his government’s commitment to dialogue and diplomacy Thursday while accusing Washington of repeatedly disrupting negotiations.
The latest proposal comes after previous diplomatic efforts failed to end the conflict, which began Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Since then, periods of reduced fighting have been followed by renewed attacks that have killed thousands, weakened Iran’s conventional military capabilities and further damaged its economy.
Hormuz disruption threatens oil flows
The dispute carries consequences far beyond the United States and Iran because the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes.
The conflict has disrupted oil flows through the waterway and added pressure to global energy markets. Iran, which controls the strait jointly with Oman, has also used drones and missiles against U.S. allies in the Gulf.
Iran’s regional allies have expanded the conflict into other areas. Houthi forces in Yemen have targeted Saudi interests, while Iranian-aligned militias in Iraq have been blamed for a pipeline attack that temporarily reduced Saudi oil supplies.
Iran-backed Hezbollah has also been engaged in fighting with Israeli forces in Lebanon.
Saudi Arabia faces Houthi threat
The conflict has increased pressure on Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks threaten the kingdom’s territory, energy infrastructure and shipping.
The Saudi-backed, internationally recognized Yemeni government has come under sustained pressure from Houthi forces, which have launched missiles toward Saudi territory.
Saudi Arabia’s coalition said it intercepted two Houthi drones headed toward Riyadh on Saturday as well as a ballistic missile launched toward Khamis Mushait.
The Houthis control much of northern Yemen and the country’s most populated areas. Their attacks have also targeted Saudi vessels in the Red Sea, raising concerns about an alternative shipping route at a time when traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely disrupted.
Iran opens contact with Riyadh
As the security situation worsens, Iran has also engaged Saudi Arabia over the Strait of Hormuz.
Araghchi briefed Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on an understanding between Iran and Oman concerning safe shipping routes through the waterway, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry.
The contact highlights the wider regional stakes of the crisis as Gulf states confront threats to shipping, energy supplies and national security.
Pakistan, Türkiye coordinate with Saudi Arabia
The wider conflict has also prompted increased security coordination among Saudi Arabia and its defense partners.
Defense officials from Türkiye and Pakistan met in Riyadh on Friday to review the regional security situation and discuss intelligence cooperation, military coordination and the integration of forces, according to the Saudi Defense Ministry.
Both countries are partners in a joint defense pact with Saudi Arabia.
The meeting came a day after the Saudi, Pakistani and Turkish foreign ministers met under the framework of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.
Yemen crisis deepens
The continuing fighting is also worsening humanitarian conditions in Yemen.
The United Nations children’s agency said Friday that acute malnutrition among children was rising as violence intensified, adding to the humanitarian toll of the regional conflict.
The diplomatic push at the U.N. General Assembly therefore comes as the war continues to affect regional security, global oil supplies, international shipping and humanitarian conditions.
For now, Iran’s seven-day proposal faces a major setback following the Wall Street Journal report that Trump rejected the plan, while Tehran continues to call for diplomacy and Washington has not publicly confirmed the reported decision.
::
