U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume negotiations, with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz saying Tehran sought major concessions before talks could even begin.
Speaking to U.S. media, Waltz said Iran wanted the United States to lift its naval blockade, ease sanctions and provide access to billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets upfront. According to Waltz, Washington viewed the demands as unacceptable because Tehran was seeking concessions before returning to substantive negotiations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had proposed a seven-day roadmap under which the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and nuclear negotiations restarted if Washington met Tehran’s conditions. The proposal also called for the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil exports, the release of frozen assets and a wider regional ceasefire.
Waltz described the proposal as a “cynical” attempt to secure concessions before negotiations. He also said the Trump administration had limited confidence that Iran would follow through on its commitments, particularly after previous diplomatic efforts broke down.
Trump himself said he had rejected the proposal, arguing that Iran wanted a deal because it was under severe pressure. He said he was open to reaching an agreement but considered Tehran’s current terms unacceptable.
Iran has disputed Washington’s characterization of its proposal. Araghchi said Tehran’s conditions were intended to establish a basis for negotiations and argued that reopening the Strait of Hormuz could follow once those conditions were met. He also said Iran had yet to receive a formal response through diplomatic mediators.
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to the dispute because it is a major route for global energy shipments. Any prolonged disruption has implications for oil supplies, shipping and energy prices.
Despite Trump’s rejection, U.S. and Iranian officials have continued to leave the door open to diplomacy through intermediaries. Recent discussions involving Qatar and other mediators indicate that negotiations could continue, although the two sides remain divided over which concessions should come first.
For now, the disagreement centres on sequencing: Tehran wants key sanctions and blockade-related measures addressed before reopening the waterway and restarting talks, while Washington is seeking greater commitments from Iran before making major concessions.
