Trump Rejects Iran Peace Proposal, Tehran Awaits Formal U.S. Response
Iran is awaiting Washington’s formal response after proposing an end to the conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
TEHRAN, Iran, Sep. 26 — Iran is awaiting an official response from Washington after proposing a halt to the ongoing conflict and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, while The Wall Street Journal reported that President Donald Trump has rejected the offer.
Reuters said the proposal was conveyed to the United States through Qatari mediators during the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Under the proposal, Iran would reopen the strategic waterway and seek an end to the regional fighting within seven days.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that Tehran was ready to move quickly if Washington was willing to pursue an agreement and restore shipping through the strait.
“If there is political will on the U.S. side,” Araghchi said, Iran is prepared to take steps toward reopening the waterway and entering negotiations.
He said the two sides could also discuss Iran’s nuclear program and other issues of mutual interest after the fighting ends.
An Iranian senior official told Reuters, however, that Tehran would not give up what it considers its right to enrich uranium, even if Washington accepts the broader peace proposal. The official also rejected the idea of sending enriched uranium out of Iran.
Iran’s proposal reportedly calls for an immediate end to fighting in Lebanon and elsewhere, the lifting of U.S. naval restrictions on Iranian ports, the release of frozen Iranian assets and the removal of sanctions on Iranian oil.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump privately doubts Iran will meet his conditions. According to the newspaper, Trump has told aides that renewed bombing remains a possibility.
Reuters said it could not independently verify that report.
The conflict began Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli airstrikes and has now entered its seventh month. Disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have affected global oil flows and raised concerns about wider economic consequences.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said early Saturday that Araghchi had briefed Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on an understanding between Iran and Oman concerning safe navigation through the strait.
The diplomatic activity came as Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen launched a series of drones and ballistic missiles toward Riyadh and the Saudi city of Khamis Mushait, according to Saudi authorities. A Saudi-led military coalition said two drones and a missile headed toward Riyadh were intercepted.
Saudi Arabia has also been strengthening military coordination with regional partners amid Houthi attacks and disruptions to shipping in the Red Sea. Defense officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan met in Riyadh on Friday for trilateral talks that included military cooperation and intelligence sharing.
Meanwhile, UNICEF warned that renewed violence in Yemen could deepen the country’s humanitarian crisis. The U.N. children’s agency said conflict-related malnutrition among Yemeni children has reached alarming levels.
