Trump Rejects Iran's Ceasefire Proposal, Sees Opportunity to Negotiate
US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran's latest proposal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, citing that it was too weak a deal. The proposal, made in a seven-day timeframe, included lifting the US naval blockade on Iranian ports, waiving sanctions on Iranian oil sales, releasing approximately $12 billion worth of frozen Iranian assets, and implementing a broader ceasefire in the region.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had seen an initial response from Trump to the proposal but had yet to receive a formal response through intermediaries. Experts believe that Trump thinks he can wait for better terms, as economic pressure on Iran has not yet had its full effect.
The US imposed sanctions and tightened the naval blockade, disrupting flights last week. Richard Weitz, a senior non-resident expert at NATO's Defense University, said Washington may calculate that economic pressure over time will force the Iranian government to make further concessions.