US President Donald Trump has reportedly dismissed an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime chokepoint that has fueled Washington‑Tehran tensions since late February.
The Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. officials, reported on Friday that Trump turned down a seven‑day cease‑fire offer and the reopening of the waterway, telling his aides he expected to resume a bombing campaign against Iran after the November midterm elections.
Trump later shared an image on Truth Social that renamed the Strait of Hormuz the “Trump Strait.”
On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that, if the required conditions are satisfied, the strait could be reopened and normal shipping resume within seven days, adding that “the choice now rests with the United States.”
Referring to the June memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States, he noted: “The steps the U.S. must take are not new; they were already outlined in that memorandum.”
“If the American side is serious about reaching an agreement and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, everything is now ready,” Araghchi continued.
According to the Associated Press, Tehran has proposed that if the United States lifts its naval blockade of Iranian ports, lifts sanctions on Iranian oil exports, and observes a cease‑fire that includes Lebanon, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days and resume talks on its nuclear program.
Araghchi said the seven‑day timeline would begin once the U.S. agrees, with the initial steps taking four to five days and the strait reopening on the sixth day.
He added that, on the seventh day, negotiations with the United States would start to reach a final agreement on the issues both sides have already agreed upon.
He also said it would be “preferable” to reach an accord with Washington before the U.S. midterm elections.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian echoed this view in a CBS interview on Friday evening, stating that if the United States accepts Iran’s seven‑day proposal, Tehran will honor all of its commitments.
According to the AP, Iran’s proposed plan closely mirrors the June memorandum of understanding, but compresses the timeline; the original MoU gave the two sides 60 days to reach a final deal.
A U.S. official familiar with the talks told Reuters that the United States is engaging in positive and constructive discussions through mediators, but is not rushing to seal an agreement.
Another U.S. official speaking to Reuters confirmed that talks on nuclear issues are also continuing.
Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, remarked: “This is a clever move. They know this proposal is very tempting for President Trump because it ends an unpopular war and lowers energy prices on the eve of the midterm elections.”
“At the same time, it revives an agreement that largely benefited Iran,” Vaez added. “The condensed timetable for reaching a nuclear deal should also appeal to a president who is in a hurry.”
Diplomatic efforts and friction within Iran’s leadership
Pezeshkian told the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday that Iran is not afraid of continuing the war, yet Tehran remains open to diplomacy.
In the latest diplomatic push, Pezeshkian hosted Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Friday morning; Qatar has acted as a mediator between the United States and Iran.
Nevertheless, signs of disagreement among Iranian leaders have emerged, with some hardliners criticizing the diplomatic steps taken by Pezeshkian and Araghchi.
Before departing U.S. soil, Pezeshkian reiterated Iran’s readiness to resume negotiations.
He also explained that foreign‑policy decisions are deliberated by a six‑member team representing the security forces, parliament, and government bodies, with decisions reached through coordination among these members.
But Ebrahim Rezaei, a member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, wrote on X: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is an executor, not a policymaker.”
“The foreign minister must explain under what authority and policy guidelines his meeting with the representative of the aggressor enemy took place. Iran’s conditions have been communicated to the United States, and illegal meetings under the pretext of those conditions yield nothing but a sign of weakness,” he continued, adding: “Do not beg for agreement and understanding.”
“Instead of manufacturing authorizations, repent, apologize, and make amends. The message of weakness previously imposed a 40‑day war on the people and the country; do not repeat the mistake.”