Trump Rejects Iran's Ceasefire and Strait of Hormuz Proposal

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he has rejected a proposal from Iran aimed at achieving a ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz within seven days. Trump confirmed to reporters that the offer was presented to him but stated, "They put in a proposal but I rejected it."

The Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, had outlined the plan the previous day, explaining that the seven-day countdown for reopening the vital waterway would only begin upon American approval. Zarif indicated that once the strait is open, talks on Iran's nuclear program could resume. "The seven days will start when the U.S. accepts the plan," he said, adding that Iran considers the ball to be in Washington's court.

According to Zarif, the conditions Iran has set for the U.S. are not new and were part of previous understandings between the two nations. He stated that if the U.S. accepts the seven-day plan, the Strait of Hormuz will be open at the end of that period. He also suggested that following the fulfillment of these conditions and the reopening of the strait, nuclear negotiations could be restarted.

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported overnight that Trump had informed his aides of his intention to resume strikes against Iran after the U.S. midterm elections in early November. Zarif also vehemently denied claims that Iran is advancing toward nuclear weapons, calling it a "big lie" first fabricated by Israel in 2003 and perpetuated by the U.S. and European countries. He asserted that Tehran would not abandon its sovereign rights under pressure.