Iran’s 7-day ceasefire plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz rejected by Trump

United States: Iran has proposed a plan to reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, Tehran said on Friday, but reports later indicated that US President Donald Trump had rejected the proposal.

The crucial waterway, through which a significant share of the world’s oil supplies passes, has remained at the centre of the conflict between Washington and Tehran, which has reached a stalemate after nearly seven months, AFP reported.

Fresh diplomatic efforts on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York have, however, raised hopes of a possible breakthrough. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held talks with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff on Tuesday and outlined conditions that Tehran says could pave the way for ending the conflict and reopening the vital shipping route.

Within hours, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had rejected the proposal, citing US officials familiar with the discussions. According to the report, Trump remained doubtful that Iran would meet his demands and was considering the possibility of resuming military strikes.

Trump also posted an image on Truth Social showing a map of the Strait of Hormuz with the waterway marked as “Trump Strait”.

Earlier reports suggested that Iran’s proposal included a seven-day cessation of hostilities across the Middle East, including Lebanon. The plan reportedly envisaged the release of at least $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets, the removal of sanctions on Iranian oil and an end to the US naval blockade of Iran.

Under the reported proposal, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz on the seventh day of the truce.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an interview with CBS that the ceasefire process could begin immediately once the United States accepted the proposal. He also referred to an earlier memorandum of understanding signed in Pakistan, saying that an agreement based on that understanding could restore conditions to those that existed before the conflict.

Hossein Mohebi, a spokesman for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, also said that Tehran was seeking an end to hostilities in Yemen as part of the conditions for resolving the conflict.

The United States and Iran had signed a memorandum of understanding in June aimed at ending the war, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and beginning negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.

However, the understanding subsequently collapsed after Iran opened fire on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, alleging that the ships had deviated from their authorised routes.

Iran requires vessels to obtain permission before passing through the waterway, citing security concerns and its sovereignty over the strategically important passage.