WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has dismissed an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the United States lifting its naval blockade and ending the ongoing conflict, U.S. officials said on Monday.
The proposal, transmitted to the U.S. through Pakistani mediators in recent days, called for reopening the key waterway while postponing negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, according to U.S. and regional officials familiar with the matter.
Trump discussed the offer with top national security advisers during a meeting in the White House Situation Room on Monday. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was not satisfied with the proposal, which would leave unresolved core disagreements that led to the escalation of the conflict.
"I wouldn’t say they were considering it," Leavitt told reporters regarding the Iranian suggestion.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to rule out any agreement that excludes Iran's nuclear program, according to officials.
Iran has restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since late February, when the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iranian targets. The narrow waterway, through which about a fifth of the world's traded oil and natural gas passes in peacetime, has seen severely reduced traffic amid the standoff. The U.S. imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports in mid-April to prevent oil exports.
The latest Iranian offer would end its effective closure of the strait and the war in exchange for the lifting of the U.S. blockade, while setting aside nuclear issues for later discussions, two regional officials told The Associated Press.
Trump had previously canceled a planned trip by U.S. envoys to Pakistan for direct talks, citing dissatisfaction with Iran's negotiating position. He said Saturday that Iran sent a new proposal shortly after the cancellation.
The fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, first agreed in early April and extended indefinitely, has been strained by the impasse over the strait and the nuclear program. Iran has maintained control over traffic in the waterway, while the U.S. has enforced its blockade.
Details of any potential next steps in negotiations remain unclear. The Trump administration has indicated it holds leverage in the talks.
The conflict, which escalated on Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities, has disrupted global energy markets and shipping routes. Specific casualty figures and damage assessments from the various phases of the fighting could not be immediately verified from independent sources.
As of Monday, shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained limited, with the dual restrictions from Iran and the U.S. in place. International calls for reopening the waterway have grown amid concerns over energy supplies.
Iranian officials have not publicly detailed their latest proposal. The foreign ministry in Tehran could not be reached for immediate comment.
The situation in the region, including related tensions involving Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, continues to evolve. No immediate changes to the military posture in the strait were reported following the White House meeting.
