Trump Rejects Iran's 7-Day Ceasefire, Warns of Fresh Airstrikes

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi outlined a seven-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz at a private UN sideline meeting Thursday. The proposal is conditioned on US actions including lifting a naval blockade and waiving sanctions on Iranian oil.

• 7 days after US acceptance, Araghchi said, the strait would reopen.
• The plan mirrors the June MoU, which collapsed when Iran resumed shipping attacks.
• 22 million barrels of oil transited the strait the previous night, a White House official told the Financial Times.
• Qatar is serving as intermediary, hosting indirect US-Iran talks at the UN this week.

Why it matters: The strait carries a major share of global oil and gas exports. Disruption has driven up energy prices well beyond the region, worsening inflation in the US.

• High fuel prices are a live political issue heading into November US midterm elections.
• Araghchi argued a deal before the midterms would benefit Trump politically; Trump said Iran is the one waiting on election results.

How 77 sources split on this story

Where they split: The core dispute is sequencing: Iran wants the blockade lifted and sanctions waived before nuclear talks begin; the US wants nuclear issues addressed as part of a single package from the start.

What’s next: A White House official said the US is 'not in a rush,' citing control of the strait.

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US would exchange ideas through available channels but made no commitment.
• Urban Coningham of the Royal United Services Institute told Al Jazeera a firm peace deal remains unlikely given unresolved nuclear and economic gaps.
• Will Iran's internal divisions — between security hard-liners and relative moderates around President Pezeshkian — allow any deal to hold?
• Does the new proposal specify how shipping would be governed after the strait reopens, or what verification mechanisms would apply?
• Is Iran prepared to cede economic leverage over the strait, or is the offer primarily tactical pressure ahead of US midterms?