President Trump Rejects Iranian Plan to Reopen Strait of Hormuz

On September 26, 2026, President Trump waved to the media from the South Lawn of the White House as he prepared to travel to Knoxville, Tennessee. His destination was the University of Tennessee vs. University of Texas college football game. Addressing reporters before his departure, Trump stated his rejection of an Iranian plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He emphasized that the deal proposed by Iran “would not be acceptable,” but did not elaborate on the reasons behind this decision.

Iran’s proposal, presented at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, called for resuming negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi revealed that through Qatar, Iran had communicated a “concrete seven-day plan” to the U.S., aimed at reopening the strait. Following the U.S. and Israel’s attack on February 28, Iran had closed the strait, causing significant disruptions to the global oil supply. Araghchi stated, “If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened and normal maritime passage restored within seven days.” He added that the decision ultimately lay with the United States.

The proposal resembled a prior “memorandum of understanding” (MoU) developed in June between the U.S. and Iran. This memorandum would have temporarily halted fighting and initiated ceasefire talks. As part of the agreement, the U.S. offered Iran relief from a naval blockade, eased sanctions, and released frozen Iranian assets. In exchange, Iran committed to not pursuing a nuclear weapon and agreed to reopen the strait. However, disputes over unclear language in the MoU, particularly regarding control of the strait, led to its collapse. Subsequent to the breakdown, hostilities resumed between the U.S. and Iran.

Araghchi highlighted that the United States’ actions required to meet Iran’s proposal were previously outlined in the MoU. “They are all already under the commitments of the United States,” he stated. “So we don’t see any difficulty in implementing them.”

In an upcoming CBS interview, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed Iran’s readiness to honor its obligations. He noted, “The U.S. needs to demonstrate that it does not intend to overthrow our government or our administration.” According to Pezeshkian, if the U.S. agrees to the terms, relations can revert to their prior state. He emphasized that both nations must first remove obstacles before substantive negotiations can occur.

Pezeshkian also assured that if the U.S. consents to Iran’s proposal and resumes nuclear negotiations, Iran would permit U.N. nuclear inspectors to enter the country.