Trump rejects Iranian proposal to open Strait of Hormuz

US President Donald Trump says he has rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which is important for oil deliveries. The offer was unacceptable, Trump told reporters at the White House. He pointed out that the US naval blockade was putting Iran under economic pressure because no more money was coming in from energy exports.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had previously said that Tehran had sent Washington a "seven-day plan" via Qatar. "You can accept this seven-day plan and in the end the Strait of Hormuz will be open," Aragshi said. According to him, part of the proposal was that the US first meet certain requirements. According to the Wall Street Journal, this included the United States lifting its naval blockade.

Higher fuel prices

After the first US attacks in February, Iran blocked shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, through which a large proportion of oil and gas deliveries from the region pass. This also led to significantly higher fuel prices in the USA, which caused Trump's poll numbers to fall further. The general election is coming up at the beginning of November, in which Trump's Republican Party must fear at least losing control of the House of Representatives, one of the chambers of Congress, to the Democrats. That would limit Trump's leeway in the final two years of his term.

The US responded to Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz with its own blockade of Iranian seaports to put the country under economic pressure. According to Trump, more tankers are now coming through the Strait of Hormuz. Last night there were 29 ships, he said.