Trump Rejects Iran's Proposal: Will Waiting Backfire?

US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran's latest proposal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying that Tehran wants a deal because it is 'losing so badly'. The seven-day plan offered by Iran includes lifting the US naval blockade on Iranian ports, waiving sanctions on Iranian oil sales, releasing $12 billion in frozen assets, and observing a wider regional ceasefire.

According to experts, Trump believes that the US has more to gain by waiting for better terms rather than accepting Iran's proposal at this moment. The US administration has escalated economic pressure on Tehran, tightening its naval blockade while imposing sanctions targeting Iranian oil revenues and threatening secondary sanctions against countries doing business with Tehran.

Richard Weitz, a senior nonresident associate fellow at the NATO Defence College, said that Washington may believe it can 'wait a bit and get better terms'. He added that there is concern in Washington about Iran's proposed sequencing, which could be a key part of Trump's calculation.