US President Donald Trump has rejected an Iranian proposal that would have reopened the strategically important Strait of Hormuz within seven days while creating a framework for renewed negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Trump confirmed the rejection on Saturday, September 26, telling reporters outside the White House: “I reject their proposal.” He said Iran wanted an agreement to reopen the waterway but indicated that the terms presented by Tehran were not acceptable to his administration.
The development comes as the conflict between the United States and Iran remains at an impasse, with the Strait of Hormuz at the centre of the dispute because of its importance to global energy shipments.
Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day roadmap
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had formally submitted a seven-day roadmap to the United States through Qatar.
Under the proposal described by Iranian officials, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened and normal maritime traffic restored within seven days if Washington agreed to several conditions.
The conditions included lifting the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, easing sanctions on Iranian oil sales and observing a ceasefire covering the wider region, including Lebanon. Iran also sought the resumption of nuclear negotiations.
Araghchi said the proposal had been conveyed through Qatari mediators and that the decision ultimately rested with Washington.
However, Trump said he had rejected the offer, describing the proposed agreement as unacceptable.
Why the Strait of Hormuz matters
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes.
The narrow waterway connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, making it a major route for international energy shipments.
The Washington Post reported that under normal circumstances, roughly one-fifth to one-quarter of the world’s oil supply passes through the strait. Disruptions to shipping through the waterway can therefore have significant consequences for energy markets and the wider global economy.
The ongoing disruption has already placed the waterway at the centre of the conflict between Washington and Tehran.
Iranian officials have maintained that reopening the strait could form part of a negotiated settlement, while the United States has continued to demand changes from Tehran.
Iran says diplomacy remains possible
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has continued to argue that the conflict can be resolved through diplomacy.
Speaking during his return to Tehran after attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Pezeshkian said Iran did not trust Washington following previous diplomatic breakdowns but maintained that negotiations remained possible.
He also disputed the characterization that Iran alone was responsible for closing the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that the current restrictions were connected to the wider conflict.
Iran’s government has therefore continued to frame the seven-day proposal as part of a diplomatic effort rather than an unconditional reopening of the waterway.
Trump remains opposed to the proposal
Trump’s rejection represents another setback for the latest diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran.
Earlier in the week, US and Iranian representatives held indirect discussions through intermediaries, with Qatar playing a role in facilitating communication.
US officials had indicated some openness to continued dialogue, but Trump has maintained a hard-line position on the conflict and Iran’s demands.
The Wall Street Journal separately reported that Trump expects military action against Iran to resume after the November US midterm elections, although that report was based on unnamed US officials.
Saudi Arabia warns over vital shipping routes
The Strait of Hormuz crisis has also attracted concern from other countries in the region because of the waterway’s importance to international commerce and energy supplies.
Saudi Arabia has opposed the use of major maritime passages as instruments of pressure or threats against states.
The crisis has also increased interest among Gulf countries and their international partners in alternative energy-export routes that could reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz.
What happens next?
With Trump’s rejection of Iran’s seven-day proposal, the immediate prospects for reopening the Strait of Hormuz through that particular framework remain uncertain.
Iran has continued to insist that diplomacy is the route toward resolving the conflict, while Washington has rejected the conditions Tehran attached to the proposed reopening of the waterway.
The situation remains fluid, and further diplomatic contacts could still take place through intermediaries.
For now, however, Trump’s rejection has left the latest Iranian roadmap without US acceptance, keeping the Strait of Hormuz and the wider US-Iran conflict at the centre of international attention.
Al Jazeera — Trump rejects Iran’s seven-day roadmap to reopen Strait of Hormuz
