Trump rejects an Iranian proposal for a ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz

US President Donald Trump rejected an Iranian proposal for a 7-day ceasefire, saying: Tehran is suffering huge losses as a result of closing the Strait of Hormuz, declaring that the United States has complete control over the Strait.

Trump said that Iran wants to conclude an agreement, but he described the proposal as “unacceptable,” adding that his country had imposed “the largest blockade in military history” and a steel wall around the Strait of Hormuz.

He pointed out that huge quantities of oil pass through the strait, and that 29 ships crossed it last night, adding that Iran has put itself in trouble because of its closure and has lost its sources of income.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that the country's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, supports the new proposal regarding the Strait of Hormuz, according to Agence France-Presse.

Pezeshkian stressed that the terms of the new agreement proposed by Tehran to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz were drawn up “in coordination” with the Supreme Leader and will be implemented “without any problems” if the United States agrees.

In an interview with the CBS network published by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Saturday, he announced the formation of a six-member team that “includes representatives of various organizations and bodies, including the army, parliament, and government.”

The President, who concluded a week of diplomatic talks on Friday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York, added that this team “meets to discuss the issues raised and has the authority to make decisions.”

In addition, media reports stated that the new plan calls for a cessation of all hostilities in the Middle East for seven days, including in Lebanon.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that his country had offered the United States an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within a week.

Araqchi told reporters at the United Nations headquarters in New York that this is possible “if the necessary conditions are met,” noting that these conditions are contained in the memorandum of understanding that was signed in June.

The understanding that collapsed in July stipulated the cessation of hostilities on all fronts, the unfreezing of Iranian assets frozen after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and the lifting of US sanctions that are strangling the country’s economy.

“The decision is now in the hands of the United States,” Araqchi said, adding that the plan was conveyed to the American side via Qatar.

In response to a question about the Iranian offer, an American official told the BBC that there are positive discussions taking place through mediators, including discussions regarding the nuclear file.

“If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened and normal maritime traffic can be restored within seven days,” Araqchi told reporters.

Araqchi did not specify the steps that Iran wants the United States to take, but he added that "the measures that the United States must take are not new; they are all already included in the memorandum of understanding."

He continued, saying: "I can tell you that if there is seriousness on the American side to reach an agreement and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, everything is ready now."

Pezeshkian also stated that Iran will now allow IAEA inspectors to enter the country.

In response to allegations that Iran is seeking to develop a nuclear weapon, the Iranian president said: “If they wish to come and conduct inspections, we can reach understandings and agreements on this particular issue within the framework of negotiations.”

The memorandum of understanding concluded between the United States and Iran on June 18 was designed to achieve a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, even partially.

The agreement, consisting of 14 clauses, stipulates that Iran will never possess a nuclear weapon. He also indicated that the United States, Iran and their allies would end military operations on “all fronts,” and included provisions that include ending the US naval blockade and easing sanctions.

The agreement also included a pledge from Iran to “exert its utmost efforts to ensure the safe passage of commercial ships” through the strait, and to hold talks with the Sultanate of Oman regarding future shipping arrangements.

However, the agreement collapsed shortly after when both sides resumed attacks.

Iran attacked ships that it said attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz without permission.

In return, the United States launched attacks on Iranian sites in the Strait, as well as on Iranian oil tankers off the coast of the country. It also continued to impose a blockade on Iranian ports, causing massive disruption to the Iranian economy.

Since then, President Trump has claimed that the United States has succeeded in securing the exit of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.

Shipping data shows that the average number of daily crossings over the past ten days amounted to about 18, with numbers declining on some days to reach only nine ships, according to Kpler, a company specializing in commodity data and analysis, which was quoted by Reuters.

However, the Ansar Allah group in Yemen has recently intensified its attacks aimed at disrupting Saudi oil exports through the Red Sea, located on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula.

The group seized large, strategically important areas of the Red Sea coast during a rapid attack launched this month, including the port of Mocha overlooking the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Another one of the most important strategic sea lanes for global shipping traffic.

The situation was exacerbated by the attacks launched by the Houthis on Saudi oil facilities. American media reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman requested military support from President Trump.

On Saturday, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen announced the interception of two ballistic missiles and drones launched by the Houthis towards the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

During his speech before the United Nations General Assembly this week, Trump expressed his belief that reaching an agreement with Iran, which he has been unable to achieve so far, will take place immediately after the November elections.

Trump asked, "Am I going to conclude an agreement with Iran that will allow it to rebuild and create a much greater country than it was before? Or will I eliminate the Islamic Republic and destroy it quickly, without giving it any opportunity to kill people and destroy countries again? Do I send it to hell?"

Iraq requests an exception to the US embargo

Iranian airlines transport Iranians who come to Iraq in large numbers to visit the Shiite holy shrines, or Iraqis who wish to travel to Iran, whether for religious visits, or who are pursuing their studies in the Islamic Republic, or who go there for medical purposes.