Trump Rejects Iran's Seven-Day Ceasefire Proposal

US President Donald Trump has reportedly rejected Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days. The proposal, which was put forward by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, calls for the US to release $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets, lift oil sanctions, and end its naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Araghchi said that once these conditions are met, which he estimated would take four or five days, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations with the US on a 'final deal' would start on day seven. However, Trump has reportedly ruled out the proposal, citing unnamed US officials who say he is sceptical about whether Iran will fulfill US demands.

The rejection comes just hours after Iran put forward its new roadmap to opening the strait, through which one-fifth of global oil and natural gas is shipped during peacetime. Trump has previously threatened to 'annihilate' Iran from the floor of the UN General Assembly, and a US official told Al Jazeera that Washington is in no hurry to respond to Iran's proposal.

Despite the rejection, Qatar has been passing messages between the two sides as an intermediary, with ongoing mediated talks described as 'positive and constructive'. However, there is still 'an enormous amount of scepticism' in Washington about whether the two countries are on the same page, according to Thomas Warrick, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.