Trump Rejects Iranian Proposal for Strait of Hormuz Opening

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday rejected an Iranian proposal aimed at opening the Strait of Hormuz and achieving a ceasefire, stating, "They put forward a proposal but I rejected it." According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Trump informed his aides of his intention to resume attacks on Iran following the U.S. midterm elections in early November.

The Iranian offer was conveyed on Friday by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who announced that Tehran had presented Washington with a plan to open the strait within seven days. Araghchi stated that the countdown would only begin once the U.S. approved the plan, emphasizing that the required steps from Washington were not new and were already outlined in existing memorandums of understanding. He detailed that if the seven-day plan was accepted, the Strait of Hormuz would be opened, paving the way for renewed nuclear talks.

Araghchi also addressed claims about Iran's nuclear program, calling the assertion that Iran is on the verge of obtaining nuclear weapons a "big lie" fabricated by Israel in 2003. He asserted that the U.S. and European countries continue to repeat this claim, adding that Iran "will not give up its sovereign rights under pressure."

Earlier in the week, Trump addressed the tensions with Iran in his speech at the UN General Assembly in New York, posing the question, "Do I want to meet them? Yes. Do I think we're going to make a deal? I have no idea, but I think we're going to have a great deal." He also stated, "I have to make a big decision: Will there be a deal with Iran, or will it be total destruction?" Trump believes a deal might be reached after the midterm elections.

In his UN address, Trump elaborated that Iran's objective was to develop a nuclear bomb, shielded by its ballistic missile program, which would have allowed them to act with impunity. He added that after giving Iran every possible opportunity for a deal, he acted to ensure no American would be threatened.

Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, thanked Trump for his speech, calling it a "clear message of strength and leadership." Danon stated that the U.S. and Israel share common values and a deep alliance, citing the Abraham Accords as proof that brave leadership can change the Middle East, and pledged to continue fighting the "axis of evil" and expanding the circle of peace.