Trump rejects Iranian proposal, expects war to continue after midterm elections

What Happened

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran's seven-day proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz and expects the US military's bombing campaign to resume after the midterm elections, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said the deal — which includes lifting a US naval blockade on Iranian ports — "would be much better if it is done before the midterm election," and told reporters at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday that the Strait of Hormuz would not reopen until the plan's conditions were fulfilled. "Iran will not surrender its sovereign rights under pressure," Araghchi said. A US official said on Friday that the United States is having positive, constructive discussions with Iran through mediators and continues to discuss nuclear issues. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran will show no flexibility over its nuclear program even if the US accepts the proposal.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The reported exchange over the Strait of Hormuz links nuclear diplomacy with a potential US naval blockade and military escalation, while both sides invoke election timing. Araghchi's statement that the waterway will remain closed unless the US lifts the blockade and accepts the seven-day plan frames a possible bottleneck in global oil transit, and the WSJ report that Trump expects bombing to resume after midterms signals continued military pressure rather than immediate de-escalation.

Watch For

Monitor whether the reported US bombing campaign resumes after the midterm elections, as the WSJ said Trump expects; whether the US accepts or modifies Iran's seven-day proposal through mediators; whether Araghchi's condition for reopening the Strait of Hormuz is tested in shipping or naval incidents; and any further nuclear-related statements from the indirect talks.