President Trump said Saturday that he rejected Iran’s latest ceasefire proposal that offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart talks on the country’s nuclear program in exchange for concessions from the United States. “They made a proposal, but I rejected it,” Trump told reporters as he left the White House on Saturday morning. Trump demurred when asked if he expected to restart military strikes after the November midterms, saying Iran wanted to “make a deal where they open the strait immediately because they’re losing so much.” Trump’s rejection was the latest twist in what has been a cycle of bombings, peace overtures, grandiose threats and mixed messages throughout the nearly seven months of the US-Israel war against Iran. Trump’s public rejection of Iran’s offer came after his advisers held a three-hour meeting with Iranian officials at the United Nations General Assembly earlier this week in New York. In his speech at the United Nations, Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran, saying its leaders could reach a deal with the United States or risk being annihilated. “Will there be a deal with Iran that allows them to rebuild and create a much larger country than ever before, perhaps one of the largest in the Middle East or even the world?” Trump asked in a speech Tuesday. “Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never again giving them the opportunity to kill and destroy people and countries?” Trump also suggested that Iran was dragging the war into the midterm elections in hopes of politically damaging Trump and Republicans. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for oil and gas, has sent energy prices soaring around the world. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters on Thursday that the seven-point proposal that Trump rejected closely reflected the commitments laid out in the so-called memorandum of understanding signed between the United States and Iran in June, but which quickly fell apart. Araghchi added that “it would be better” if an agreement was reached before the US midterm elections. He said the proposed deal would end fighting for seven days, including in Lebanon, and would require the United States to release frozen Iranian assets estimated at at least $12 billion, waive sanctions on Iranian oil and lift the naval blockade against Iran. Then, on the last day, the Strait of Hormuz would open. After the seven days, negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program would restart. Trump said Saturday that he was still open to negotiating with Iran. “They want to make a deal, and I think that’s fine, I like to make a deal too,” Trump said. “But that agreement would not be acceptable.”
