U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected an Iranian proposal calling for a seven-day ceasefire, as Tehran steps up diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions and find a path toward ending the war.
According to circulating reports, Trump told officials and aides that he expects U.S. military operations against Iran to resume after the November midterm elections.
The Iranian proposal includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the United States lifting its naval blockade on Iranian ports, which has placed significant pressure on Iran’s economy.
Trump, meanwhile, has said that Tehran is seeking an agreement after the midterm elections, but has insisted that any deal must result in the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had proposed a seven-day plan involving a phased halt to the fighting, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the resumption of nuclear negotiations on the seventh day, provided Washington agrees to the plan’s conditions.
The diplomatic moves come amid continued indirect contacts between the United States and Iran, as efforts continue to reach a settlement that could reduce tensions and restore navigation through one of the world’s most important maritime corridors.
The rejection of the Iranian proposal leaves the possibility of continued military escalation, while diplomatic efforts remain underway to find a negotiated framework capable of ending the conflict and determining the future of Iran’s nuclear program.
