Trump Nixes Iranian Strait Deal, Citing ‘Unacceptable’ Terms

President Trump on Saturday shot down an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling the deal “unacceptable.” He spoke to reporters from the South Lawn of the White House as he headed out for the University of Tennessee vs. University of Texas College football game in Knoxville, Tennessee. “I like making a deal too,” Trump told the press. “But, I’m not — that deal wouldn’t be acceptable.” He didn’t elaborate much, only adding, “They want to make a deal where they open the strait immediately because they’re losing so badly.”

Here’s the thing: Iran floated this plan, which also included resuming negotiations with the U.S., during the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York this week. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters Friday that Qatar had actually passed a “concrete seven-day plan” for reopening the strait to the U.S.

A Familiar Impasse

Remember the strait closures? They started after the U.S. And Israel attacked Iran back on February 28. Since then, repeated closures have caused major disruptions to the world’s oil supply. “If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened and normal maritime passage restored within seven days,” Araghchi had said Friday, putting the ball in the U.S. Court. This isn’t the first time such a proposal has been on the table. The Iranian plan looks a lot like a “memorandum of understanding” (MoU) the U.S. And Iran agreed to in June. That earlier deal would’ve temporarily stopped fighting and restarted ceasefire talks. It offered Iran relief from a U.S. Naval blockade, with the U.S. Easing sanctions and freeing up frozen Iranian assets. In return, Iran was supposed to promise not to seek nuclear weapons and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. But that June agreement fell apart. Disputes over vague wording, especially about who’d control the strait, torpedoed it. The U.S. And Iran quickly resumed strikes. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a pre-recorded interview with CBS set to air Sunday, said Iran would stick to its commitments. He stressed that the U.S. Needs to show “that it doesn’t intend to overthrow our government or our administration.” Pezeshkian believes if the U.S. Agrees to proceed this way, everything could return to normal. “Because right now, it’s the United States that has blocked our way, and naturally, Iran has also blocked the way from its side,” he explained to CBS. He suggested both sides need to open up first, then they can talk. If the U.S. Accepts Iran’s proposal on the strait and resuming nuclear talks, Pezeshkian said Iran would allow U.N. Nuclear inspectors into the country. It’s a conditional offer. The standoff continues. Aaron Schwartz of Getty Images North America captured Trump waving to media on September 26, 2026, in Washington, D.C.