US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran's proposal for a seven-day ceasefire and told his aides that he expects to resume bombing Iran after the November midterm elections, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Tehran's proposal called for a cessation of hostilities in the region and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil and gas shipping routes, within seven days. The plan was conveyed to Washington through Qatari intermediaries.
In exchange, Iran demanded that the United States lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports, ease sanctions on oil exports, and unlock frozen Iranian assets. The plan also called for a cessation of hostilities on other fronts in the region, including Lebanon. After the seven-day period, Washington and Tehran would begin broader negotiations, including on Iran's nuclear program.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the UN that the plan could be implemented immediately once the US accepts it, leaving the decision on the deal to Washington. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also said that Iranian forces would adhere to the plan if it was accepted by the US side.
But according to the Wall Street Journal, Trump remains skeptical that Tehran would accept American demands for its nuclear program. The US administration has made it clear to Iran and its mediators that it does not intend to lift the naval blockade, calculating that economic pressure will force Tehran to accept a deal with different terms.
The Iranian proposal came as US negotiators were trying to revive diplomacy with Iran over its nuclear program through talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a three-hour meeting between US and Iranian officials, brokered by Qatar, had failed to produce any significant progress.
