Iran Insists Diplomacy After Trump Rejects Hormuz Proposal — SkimNews
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- Iran insisted only diplomacy can resolve its conflict with the US and Israel, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi saying reopening the Strait of Hormuz is "contingent on these conditions being met."
- Trump publicly rejected the proposal on Saturday, telling reporters Iran "wants to make a deal to open the Hormuz Strait immediately because they're losing so badly."
- Araqchi said Qatari mediators have not officially relayed a US rejection to Tehran, and Iran is "waiting for the mediators to convey the definitive views" before responding.
- The Wall Street Journal reported Trump was privately skeptical Iran would meet his demands and told staff he sees a renewed bombing campaign as likely after the November US midterm elections.
- Araqchi told reporters at the UN on Friday the proposed deal would trigger a seven-day countdown to reopening the strait and a pause in regional fighting, with broader talks possible on "mutually agreed subjects" including Iran's nuclear program.
- A senior Iranian official told Reuters Iran would show no flexibility on its nuclear program even if the US accepted the peace deal, refusing concessions on uranium enrichment or shipping highly enriched uranium out of the country.
Why it matters: The WSJ disclosure that Trump privately views a renewed bombing campaign as likely after the November US midterms reframes his public rejection as a delay tactic, while the mediator gap — Iran saying Qatar has not formally relayed the rejection — leaves backchannel diplomacy technically alive. Either path keeps the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane bottlenecked, sustaining pressure on a critical oil route through which Tehran has drastically reduced traffic.
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