Iran's Hormuz Plan Rejected by Trump Amid Rising Tensions
The Strait of Hormuz has been at the center of the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, which has reached a stalemate after nearly seven months. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi proposed a plan to reopen the strategic waterway, but US President Donald Trump reportedly rejected it.
Araghchi said that if the necessary conditions are met, the Strait can be reopened and normal maritime passage restored within seven days. He emphasized that Iran does not accept coercion or intimidation and will not surrender its sovereign rights under pressure.
The plan reportedly calls for a cessation of all hostilities in the Middle East for seven days, including in Lebanon, as well as the release of frozen Iranian assets estimated to be worth at least $12 billion. The US would also need to lift sanctions on Iranian oil and end its naval blockade of Iran.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that the ceasefire process will begin from the very day the US accepts it, based on a memorandum of understanding signed in Pakistan. Hossein Mohebi, a spokesman for the Revolutionary Guards, added that ending hostilities in Yemen is also among Tehran's demands.
Trump has been skeptical about Iran meeting his demands and sees a renewed bombing campaign as likely, according to The Wall Street Journal. He even posted an image on Truth Social showing the Strait of Hormuz circled and labeled 'Trump Strait.'