Trump rejects Iranian seven-day truce offer to reopen Strait of Hormuz

The Iranian seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi presented a ceasefire offer through Qatari intermediaries during the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The Iranian initiative outlined a mechanism to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days in exchange for the United States lifting its naval blockade on Iranian ports. Tehran also proposed resuming negotiations over its nuclear program as part of the arrangement. Iranian diplomats framed the proposal as an entry point toward comprehensive talks to formally end the ongoing war between Washington and Tehran. Araghchi confirmed to reporters that technical preparations for unblocking the vital waterway were complete.

If the American side is serious about reaching an agreement and unblocking the Strait of Hormuz, everything is ready.

White House calculations and midterm elections

President Donald Trump rejected the seven-day truce proposal, judging that existing economic sanctions and maritime blockades are exerting sufficient pressure on Tehran. Trump publicly asserted that Iran is begging for a deal and predicted that an agreement would only materialize following the congressional midterm elections in November. In private conversations with aides, however, the president expressed doubt that the Iranian government would make meaningful concessions. A US administration representative noted that mediated discussions between American and Iranian delegations had been positive and constructive, but Trump remained unconvinced that Iran would meet his demands. The administration is planning to resume air strikes against Iranian targets after the November election campaign concludes. Officials stated that the precise scale of potential bombing operations has not been determined and noted that Trump's decisions may change depending on the election outcome, where opposition candidates hold an advantage.

Division between diplomats and Revolutionary Guards

Arab mediators in Qatar reported that Iranian diplomats presented multiple frameworks to conclude the war while acknowledging that their domestic economic crisis is worsening. Despite this economic strain, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which holds effective power in the country, ruled out evaluating new compromise formulas and declared readiness for a protracted war. The Guards insist on returning to terms resembling the preliminary agreement Donald Trump signed in Versailles on 17 June. Under Tehran's interpretation of that June framework, the United States would ease sanctions on Iranian crude oil exports, unfreeze Iranian financial assets, and formally recognize Iranian control over ship movements through the Strait of Hormuz. The White House continues to reject any arrangement granting Tehran authority over maritime transit through the waterway.

Background of the conflict and the oil chokepoint

The armed conflict began on 28 February, when the United States and Israel initiated military operations with the stated objective of preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. In retaliation, Tehran blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime chokepoint that carried 20% of global oil exports prior to the war. The resulting closure created severe supply shortages and broad disruptions across international fuel markets. Despite severe economic consequences, an Iranian official stated that Tehran will not make concessions regarding its nuclear program. Iranian authorities are currently awaiting a formal response from Washington regarding the proposal submitted by Araghchi.