President Trump said he is rejecting an Iranian proposal to end the war and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, comments reported Sunday by The Hill and summarized by Antiwar.com. The remarks followed a Wall Street Journal report that he is expecting to resume bombing Iran after the midterm elections, citing people familiar with the matter.
What Trump said
“I’m rejecting their deal,” Trump told reporters, according to The Hill, as relayed by Antiwar.com. He also said, “They want to make a deal where they open the strait immediately because they’re losing so badly.” Trump further claimed the United States has “total control of the Hormuz Strait” and that “massive amounts of oil are coming out of the Hormuz Strait,” even as Antiwar.com noted ships continue to come under attack in the waterway.
Iran’s response
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded Sunday that while Trump publicly rejected the proposal, Iran has not received an official U.S. answer through mediators, according to Antiwar.com. Araghchi said Iran was “fully prepared” to face renewed U.S. strikes but would not give up on diplomacy, per the same report.
What Iran reportedly offered
Antiwar.com reported that Iran’s proposal would require the U.S. to end its blockade of Iranian ports, lift some sanctions, and release frozen Iranian funds—commitments the U.S. agreed to under a short-lived Memorandum of Understanding signed in June, per that outlet. If implemented, Antiwar.com wrote, Iran would fully open the Strait of Hormuz on the sixth day, and both sides would enter talks on a final agreement on the seventh day.
What might come next
The Wall Street Journal reported it is unclear what level of strikes Trump would order after the midterms, with sources saying he is reluctant to resume “major combat operations,” in part over concerns about dwindling U.S. military stockpiles. Antiwar.com characterized a renewed U.S. bombing campaign as likely but noted there is no sign Trump will accept Iran’s conditions.
Sourcing: The Hill (via Antiwar.com) for Trump’s on-the-record remarks; The Wall Street Journal for reporting on potential post‑midterm strikes; Antiwar.com for descriptions of Iran’s proposal and Araghchi’s comments.
