Iran awaits US move after WSJ report says Trump rejects peace plan

By Menna AlaaElDin and Parisa Hafezi

Cairo/United Nations, September 26 (Reuters) — Iran awaited an official response from the United States concerning its proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and conclude combat in the broader Middle Eastern conflict, following a Wall Street Journal report that President Donald Trump had rejected the deal.

Iran raised the diplomatic initiative at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, stating that it had delivered the initiative to the Americans through Qatari mediators and that this could revive passage through the strategic waterway while ending hostilities in the region within **seven** days.

The Iranians also communicated with their Saudi counterparts regarding the strait, underscoring the importance of a dispute that has persisted for seven months and has disrupted oil movement through one of the world’s most vital maritime corridors as well as imposed economic strain globally.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told journalists at the United Nations on Friday that the arrangement would set in motion a seven‑day deadline for reopening the strait and calling for a pause in regional fighting.

“Should there be genuine intent on the U.S. side to engage in negotiations and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, preparations are already underway,” Araqchi declared.

“If the United States agrees, the warring factions could commence broader discourse on matters of mutual concern,” Araqchi added.

Such exchanges might encompass Iran’s nuclear programme. President Trump has asserted that Tehran will never develop a reliable atomic weapon, while a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran would maintain its stance on nuclear activities regardless of American acceptance of any peace accord.

“Iran would not concede any concessions related to its nuclear rights, including the enrichment of uranium or the export of highly enriched material outside the country,” the official reinforced.

Even with these positions, Iran outlined a comprehensive strategy that seeks to halt hostilities across all fronts, notably involving Lebanon. Under this agenda, the United States would be required to lift its blockade of Iranian ports, unfreeze the nation’s frozen assets, and resume oil trade sanctions, Araqchi reported.

An unnamed U.S. official had previously described the mediation‑driven dialogue as “positive and constructive.”

By contrast, Reuters noted President Trump’s private skepticism toward Iranian compliance, indicating that he anticipates a possible renewed bombardment campaign.

Reuters could not immediately verify the Wall Street Journal’s claim.

SAUDI ALLIES UNITE

Prior diplomatic efforts have failed to resolve the conflict, which began on February 28 following simultaneous U.S. and Israeli strikes.

Subsequent fighting has oscillated between intermittent truces and intensified offensives, causing extensive loss of life and diminishing Iran’s conventional forces while aggravating its fragile economy.

Iran and its backing partners have responded by expanding hostilities throughout the region. Coordinating with Oman, Iran has attacked Gulf allies employing drones and missiles, while Houthi affiliates in Yemen have targeted Saudi interests.

Iranian‑aligned miliaries in Iraq were implicated in a pipeline sabotage incident that briefly diverted additional Saudi crude into global markets.

In retaliation, Iran and its supporters have escalated tensions across the Gulf, with Tehran‑led strikes on Arab partners and Houthi attacks within Yemen’s interior.

The ongoing violence in Yemen has triggered a fresh humanitarian crisis, the United Nations Children’s Agency reported Friday, highlighting a sharp increase in acute malnutrition among children.

(Reporting by Menna AlaaElDin in Cairo, Parisa Hafezi at the United Nations and Steve Holland in Washington; Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Stephen Coates)

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