Iran sticks to Hormuz plan after Trump rejection; awaits formal U.S. reply via mediators
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that Tehran will not back down from its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz after President Trump publicly rejected Iran's seven-day roadmap. Iran says it has not received a formal U.S. response through Qatari mediators and will decide next steps once it does.
AI-assisted · US Brief desk · Sources listed below
What happened
Iran insisted Sunday on its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump publicly rejected Tehran's seven-day roadmap, saying it still awaits a formal U.S. reply through mediators even as the seven-month war remains at an impasse.
Trump's rejection: On Saturday, Trump told reporters at the White House he was "rejecting their deal," saying Iran wanted to reopen the strait quickly because "they're losing so badly," BBC and DW reported. He also claimed the United States already had "total control" of the waterway while acknowledging steep fuel-cost increases for consumers.
Tehran's Sunday line: Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran's conditions are clear and that any move to reopen the strait depends on those conditions being met. "We will not back down from them," he said, according to state broadcaster IRIB as quoted by DW. On Telegram, Araghchi acknowledged Trump's comments but said Iran was waiting for mediators to convey "definitive" official U.S. views before deciding next steps, BBC reported. He noted Trump has made "many good statements, as well as many contradictory ones."
Why it matters
About a fifth of global oil and gas trade usually moved through Hormuz before the war. Friday's Brent settlement near $104 reflected relief on deal hopes that Trump's rejection and Tehran's hard line may reverse when markets reopen Monday. The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed U.S. officials, previously reported Trump has told aides renewed bombing after the November midterms is likely — an account CNBC said it could not confirm.
What’s next
Watch for any written U.S. reply through Qatar, oil's reaction Monday, and whether Houthi or Gulf incidents escalate while diplomacy stalls.
More context
What the plan sought: Iran said the roadmap, passed through Qatar, would reopen the strait within seven days if Washington met conditions that Araghchi tied to a June memorandum of understanding — including ending hostilities in the region, lifting the naval blockade, easing oil sanctions, and releasing frozen assets, per prior Reuters/CNBC reporting and Sunday DW coverage.
Pezeshkian and Oman: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in New York for the U.N. General Assembly, told CBS that distrust created by the war must be overcome and that the U.S. "needs to show it does not intend to overthrow our government," BBC reported. Oman's foreign minister urged all parties at the U.N. to keep cooperating to safeguard navigation. Early Sunday, Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority warned ships against "illegal routes," DW reported.
Uncertainty: It is unclear whether a formal U.S. counteroffer is being prepared, or whether Trump's public remarks are the final position. Shipping-risk warnings from Iranian authorities are not the same as verified interceptions.
3 listed sources
- BBC (Brandon Livesay), Sep 27, 2026: Iranian minister says only negotiation can end conflict after Trump rejects Hormuz deal
- DW (Mahima Kapoor with DPA and Reuters), Sep 27, 2026: Iran sticks to Hormuz plan after Trump rejects it
- CNBC / Reuters / Wall Street Journal (as previously cited), Sep 26, 2026: Trump rejection; proposal terms; WSJ midterms bombing report
References listed by US Brief; a source count is not a verification score.
Editorial sourcing notes
Sunday Iranian statements follow BBC (Brandon Livesay) and DW (Mahima Kapoor with DPA and Reuters), Sep 27, 2026. Trump's Saturday rejection quotes follow those outlets and prior CNBC/Reuters coverage. The Wall Street Journal's unnamed-officials report that Trump expects renewed bombing after the midterms remains attributed and unconfirmed by CNBC as previously noted. PGSA shipping warning is from DW citing the authority's X post.
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