US Iran War: President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and pause regional fighting within seven days, and has told aides he expects to resume bombing Iran after the November congressional midterms, the Wall Street Journal reported on September 25, 2026, citing unnamed US officials.
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What Was In Iran’s Proposal
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters at UN headquarters in New York that Tehran had conveyed “a concrete seven-day plan” to Washington through Qatari mediators. Under the proposal, the US would lift its naval blockade on Iranian ports, waive oil export sanctions, and observe a ceasefire extending to Lebanon. In return, Iran pledged to restore normal maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz by day six and reopen direct nuclear talks by day seven. “If there is seriousness on the US side to come to a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, everything is now prepared,” Araghchi said.
Trump’s Response
Despite a US official telling Reuters that Washington and Tehran were having “positive and constructive discussions” through mediators, Trump was reportedly privately skeptical of the proposal and turned it down. According to the WSJ report, he has signalled to aides that military operations are likely to resume shortly after the November midterms, rather than pursuing an immediate truce.
The War So Far
US Iran War: The conflict began on February 28, 2026, with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, and has since alternated between pauses and renewed strikes for nearly seven months. More than 5,000 casualties have been reported in Iran, according to figures cited alongside the latest developments, while the standoff has repeatedly disrupted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.
