Trump Dismisses Iran’s Proposal on Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump turned down Iran’s recent offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, claiming that Tehran is “losing so badly” as the U.S. employs what he labeled the “greatest blockade ever in military history.” He expressed a readiness to negotiate, but only under terms he finds satisfactory.

When asked about Iran’s proposition, Trump affirmed that he had already rejected it, then highlighted the pressure that he believes is pushing Iran to seek an agreement.

“They want to make a deal where they open the Strait immediately because they’re losing so badly,” he said to reporters. Trump emphasized the isolation of Iran compared to the increasing commercial traffic flowing through Hormuz under U.S. protection, asserting that the U.S. is “winning tremendously” and has “total control” of this crucial waterway.

“Massive amounts of oil are coming out of the Hormuz Strait,” Trump noted, referencing 29 ships that had gone through the previous night. According to U.S. officials, around 60 million barrels of oil passed through Hormuz in the last 72 hours, reflecting a surge in commercial activity protected by the U.S.

Trump argued that Iran’s attempts to close the Strait to pressure other nations had backfired, allowing the U.S. to use the situation to its advantage while keeping the strait accessible to global trade.

“They outsmarted themselves,” he declared. “They said, ‘Let’s close it and cause a problem for the world.’” Trump explained that the U.S. successfully reversed Iran’s strategy.

He elaborated, “And then I came along, and we put up the greatest blockade ever in military history. It’s a wall of steel.”

According to Trump, the effect has been a Strait that enables international commerce under U.S. protection while essentially shutting off revenue streams for Iran, which he stated has left Tehran in a financially precarious position. “They don’t have any money now because they wanted to close the Strait,” he remarked, adding that while Iran sought to close it, the U.S. had effectively done the same to them.

However, he made a point to differentiate between rejecting Iran’s terms and dismissing the idea of a negotiated settlement entirely.

“They want to make a deal, and I think that’s fine,” Trump acknowledged. “I like making deals too, but that deal would not be acceptable.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated just before that Tehran was ready to begin a seven-day plan that could reopen Hormuz and restart talks with the U.S. if the American side agreed to Iran’s conditions.

“If there is seriousness on the U.S. side to come to a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, everything is now prepared,” he said. His remarks suggested that initial steps could be completed within a few days, leading to a reopening of Hormuz and discussions with the U.S. The demands from Iran have included an end to the naval blockade and relief from oil sanctions, among other stipulations.

Central to the disagreement remains Trump’s position that Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, which he has repeatedly stated is nonnegotiable.

Just hours before he publicly turned down Iran’s proposal, Trump reiterated this stance on Truth Social, stating emphatically, “IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!!!”

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker reinforced this view, stating that the U.S. starts from a position where Iran “can’t have a nuclear program” and must abandon its nuclear ambitions altogether.

Whitaker argued that with Iran’s economy suffering, the U.S. has little incentive to settle for anything less than full compliance. He described the Iranian economy as crippled, asserting that Tehran is “desperately” seeking a deal.

This perspective led to the dismissal of what he referred to as “half-measures” or “illusory deals” as being unacceptable. However, Iran has remained firm on retaining what it views as its rights regarding uranium enrichment. Iranian officials have indicated they would not relinquish claims to enrich uranium or transfer its highly enriched uranium, even if a broader agreement were reached.

Additionally, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian noted the country’s readiness to negotiate on conditions for renewed international inspections, reflecting a notable gap in expectations between Tehran and Washington.

The U.S. administration’s concerns are not solely focused on the nuclear issue. Officials cited previous experiences with U.S.-Iran agreements as reasons a new deal would need to be enforceable.

“They broke the last deal,” noted U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, highlighting that Iranian attacks on civilian shipping began soon after the prior memorandum of understanding took effect. He noted that 146 nations condemned Iran’s actions, marking a record in the U.N.

When asked if Trump’s rejection might lead to military action, Waltz refrained from predicting the president’s next steps but emphasized the economic pressure the U.S. has placed on Iran.

“The president has his foot on the neck of the Iranian economy,” he said, elaborating on observing the dropping rial, dwindling reserves, and high inflation rates, which have contributed to mounting pressure on Tehran.

Waltz highlighted that the U.S. campaign, led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent through Operation Economic Outcast, has been influencing other countries to detach from Iran. Turkey and Oman have ceased flights with Mahan Air, while the UAE stopped transactions with Iranian airlines and banks.

“These efforts are delivering results,” he stated, thanking various governments while emphasizing that more work remains to be done.

The financial constraints are mirrored at sea, as the U.S. Central Command reported redirecting 122 commercial vessels under the blockade, with more than 2,000 protected transit movements, carrying over a billion barrels of crude oil through Hormuz.

These opposing strategies illustrate what Trump described: restricting Iranian commerce while safeguarding international shipping.

Despite Trump’s formal rejection of the proposal, Tehran has not completely withdrawn from negotiations. Araghchi noted that Iran had heard Trump’s remarks but was awaiting an official U.S. response through mediators before deciding on the next steps.

“Our conditions are clear, and any move towards reopening the Strait of Hormuz is contingent on these conditions being met,” he maintained, underscoring that only a negotiated agreement could resolve the situation.

While Iran keeps the channels for dialogue open, high-ranking military and political leaders warned that renewed U.S. aggression would elicit a strong reaction. Senior Iranian military officials have threatened to retaliate against U.S. vessels, indicating potential escalation.

Amidst this escalation in tensions, both Washington and Tehran seem to be negotiating from very different positions, with Trump believing the blockade alleviates the need to accept Iran’s demands, while Tehran holds that reopening Hormuz hinges on the U.S. meeting its requirements.

Yet, neither party appears to be shutting down communication. Iran is still waiting for a formal U.S. reply via mediators, while Trump indicated that while he rejects the current terms, he is not closing the door on a possible agreement.

“They want to make a deal, and I think that’s fine,” he reiterated. “I like making a deal too, but that deal would not be acceptable.”