Trump Iran: Report Says Hormuz Plan Rejected as Tehran Awaits Reply
U.S.-Iran negotiations have entered a more sensitive phase after the Wall Street Journal reported that President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and halt regional fighting, while Tehran says it is still waiting for an official U.S. response.
Reuters reported on September 26 that the Iranian initiative was conveyed to Washington through Qatari intermediaries and proposed reopening the strait and stopping regional hostilities within seven days if the United States accepted Tehran’s conditions.
Reuters also said it had not independently verified the Wall Street Journal report that Trump rejected the plan.
What did Iran offer the United States?
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the proposal could trigger a seven-day countdown toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz and halting hostilities across the region.
According to Reuters, the plan includes ending fighting, including in Lebanon, in exchange for lifting the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, releasing frozen Iranian funds and granting waivers from sanctions on Iranian oil exports.
Araghchi said U.S. acceptance of the proposal could then open the door to broader negotiations on issues agreed by both sides.
What do we know about Trump’s position?
According to the Wall Street Journal report, Trump was skeptical that Iran was willing to meet U.S. demands and told his team that a renewed bombing campaign remained a possibility.
But those claims are based on a media report about internal discussions within the U.S. administration, not on a public statement by Trump or an official White House announcement.
Reuters said it was unable to independently confirm the report.
For that reason, the most accurate formulation at this stage is that a media report says Trump rejected the proposal, while Iran says it is still awaiting Washington’s official response.
Has the Iranian proposal collapsed?
That cannot be concluded yet.
Iran has not announced that it received a formal U.S. rejection, and the White House has not said that diplomatic channels are closed.
A U.S. official had previously described talks conducted through intermediaries as “positive and constructive,” according to Reuters.
The current disagreement may therefore concern the terms and structure of the proposal rather than the complete collapse of diplomacy.
The nuclear program returns to the center of the talks
If negotiations move into a broader phase, the Iranian nuclear program is likely to remain one of the most difficult issues.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran would not make concessions on what it considers its nuclear rights, including uranium enrichment, and would not agree to send its highly enriched uranium stockpile abroad.
Why are the nuclear positions so difficult to bridge?
Trump says Iran will not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon, while Tehran says it is not seeking one and maintains that uranium enrichment is a right under its civilian nuclear program.
But enrichment levels and the size and location of Iran’s uranium stockpile remain among the central points of dispute in any potential agreement.
The nuclear issue has therefore evolved from a technical dispute into a central element of U.S.-Iran relations and regional security calculations.
The Strait of Hormuz becomes a central bargaining chip
The Strait of Hormuz is no longer separate from the political negotiations.
The waterway, through which major volumes of global oil and gas exports pass, has become a core bargaining chip linking security, energy and sanctions.
Iran says it is prepared to reopen the strait if a broader understanding is reached, while Washington wants unrestricted freedom of navigation and does not want the waterway used as a permanent pressure tool.
Iran is also discussing Hormuz with Saudi Arabia
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Araghchi briefed Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on understandings between Iran and Oman regarding safe navigation routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
That shows the waterway is not being discussed only between Washington and Tehran, but also with Gulf states directly affected by disruptions to shipping and energy flows.
Regional escalation makes any deal harder
The talks are taking place while conflict continues across several fronts.
Reuters reported that Houthi forces continued attacks on Saudi Arabia and that the Saudi-led coalition intercepted two drones heading toward Riyadh and a ballistic missile aimed at Khamis Mushait on Saturday.
Military officials from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan also met in Riyadh to discuss intelligence sharing, military coordination and capability integration under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
These developments mean any U.S.-Iran agreement is linked in practice to a regional security picture that goes far beyond the nuclear issue alone.
What does a stalled deal mean for oil markets?
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy routes, so any sign of diplomatic failure can increase the sensitivity of oil markets to political and military developments.
A stable reopening could ease pressure on shipping, insurance costs and energy supplies, while prolonged deadlock or renewed strikes could keep the geopolitical risk premium elevated.
That is why statements from Washington or Tehran can move market expectations even before actual oil flows change.
What to watch next
- The White House: Whether Washington issues an official response to the Iranian proposal.
- Tehran: Whether Iran confirms a formal rejection or continues to say it is awaiting an answer.
- Qatar: Whether mediation continues or shifts toward a revised proposal.
- Strait of Hormuz: Whether any practical steps toward reopening appear.
- Nuclear talks: Whether enrichment and Iran’s uranium stockpile enter detailed negotiations.
- Military action: Whether reports about renewed U.S. strikes become an officially announced policy.
The bottom line
The picture as of September 26 is more complicated than a simple “accept” or “reject.”
The Wall Street Journal says Trump rejected the Iranian proposal, but Tehran says it is still waiting for an official U.S. response, while Reuters has not independently confirmed the rejection report.
At the same time, Iran is offering a framework that links reopening the Strait of Hormuz and halting fighting to sanctions relief, an end to the blockade on Iranian ports and the release of frozen funds, while uranium enrichment remains one of the hardest unresolved issues.
The next key question is whether Washington closes the door on the current proposal or responds with counter-conditions that keep negotiations alive.
Profile News continues to track developments through its 24-hour breaking news page.
