Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling it unacceptable. Analysts say Washington expects sanctions and its naval blockade to win more concessions, but waiting could raise energy costs.
Iran’s seven-day plan called for Washington to lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports, waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales, release an estimated $12bn in frozen Iranian assets and observe a wider regional ceasefire, including in Lebanon and Yemen. Iran would then reopen the Strait and begin negotiations on a final agreement.
On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had seen Trump’s initial reaction but had not received a reply through mediators; Qatar has helped mediate talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The offer resembles a June memorandum that collapsed last month over differences. President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran no longer trusts talks after attacks during earlier negotiations were followed by sanctions. A late-August Reuters/Ipsos poll suggested 63 percent of Americans opposed the US-Israel war on Iran and 31 percent supported it.
