Donald Trump has publicly rejected Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within one week, confirming reports that his administration had turned down Tehran’s offer. Speaking to reporters on Saturday (September 26) as he departed the White House en route to Knoxville, Tennessee, Donald Trump stated: “They made a proposal, but I rejected it.” However, he provided no further details about his reasons for rejecting the proposal, nor whether Washington would submit a counter-proposal to Iran. Trump’s statement came just hours after Iran put forward a new roadmap for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump: Iran must not acquire a nuclear weapon
Earlier, Donald Trump had also taken to his Truth Social platform to emphatically reiterate: “IRAN MUST NOT GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON!!!”
Iran’s seven-day proposal
Iran’s proposal outlined a roadmap for restoring navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and resuming normal shipping operations within one week. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the proposal requires the United States to implement measures it had previously committed to under the failed Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding of June 17, but on an accelerated timeline.
These measures include the release of $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets, the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil, and an end to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, as Araghchi explained during a closed-door briefing with journalists on Thursday, according to the New York Times.
He further stated that all hostilities, including in Lebanon — where Israel continues to occupy part of the country’s south — must cease during this seven-day period.
Araghchi noted that once the US fulfills its obligations — a process he estimated would take four to five days — the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened, with negotiations toward a “final agreement” set to begin on the seventh day.
Pezeshkian: Mojtaba Khamenei approved Iran’s Strait of Hormuz proposal
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed that Tehran’s latest proposal for reopening the Strait of Hormuz was developed in coordination with the Supreme Leader, adding that its implementation would proceed smoothly provided the United States agrees to the terms.
In an interview with CBS News, rebroadcast by Iran’s state news agency IRNA, Pezeshkian confirmed that there had been “coordination with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei,” who holds ultimate decision-making authority in the Islamic Republic. He also stated that should the United States accept Iran’s proposal and fulfill its commitments, Iran would reciprocate fully, removing all obstacles to the agreement’s implementation.
Iran establishes committee for US negotiations
Masoud Pezeshkian also revealed the formation of a six-member committee to oversee the negotiations. The group includes representatives from various institutions and bodies, including the armed forces, parliament, and the government.
As the Iranian leader clarified — having just completed a round of diplomatic meetings in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly — the committee is actively meeting to address the critical issues at hand and holds the authority to make final decisions.
It was in this context that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi formally presented the new Strait of Hormuz reopening proposal to the United States.
While an official response from the American side had been awaited, the Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported that President Donald Trump had already rejected the proposal.
