Iran rejects ceasefire as Trump sets Strait of Hormuz deadline

With hopes for a ceasefire fading, Tehran rejects proposals while Washington weighs strikes, raising stakes for global oil routes and regional security.

Annahar

Iran rejects ceasefire as Trump sets Strait of Hormuz deadline

The Iranian capital Tehran (AFP).

Negotiators are pessimistic about Iran’s response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand that Tehran reopen the Strait of Hormuz before the Tuesday evening deadline, paving the way for the United States to target Iranian bridges and power stations in a fresh escalation of the war.

The Wall Street Journal quoted American sources saying that “hopes are dwindling for reaching an agreement with Iran before the deadline,” adding, “Negotiators are pessimistic about Iran’s response to Trump’s demand to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.”

American officials told The Wall Street Journal that “Trump may order strikes on Tuesday evening, but negotiations might change that.”

The newspaper added, “Trump wants to end the war in Iran and is mindful of Americans’ aversion to long military operations,” and it also quoted sources saying, “Republicans fear rising gasoline prices and their impact on the midterm elections in November.”

"Iranian negotiation maneuver"

According to Axios, an American official said, “Trump may postpone the attack on Iran if he sees genuine signs of an agreement looming, but we have doubts about extending the deadline this time.”

He added, “Trump alone has the decision to begin destroying Iran’s infrastructure at 8:00 PM on Tuesday.”

According to the American official, “Trump will accept any agreement if reached, but it’s unclear whether the Iranians are ready.”

The American official described the Iranian response as “hardline,” noting that the White House sees it as a negotiation tactic rather than a rejection.

Tehran Rejects "Temporary Truce"

In the first official Iranian response to the Pakistani proposal, Iranian state media reported on Monday that Tehran had rejected the ceasefire proposal.

The official IRNA news agency stated, “Iran conveyed to Pakistan its response to the U.S. proposal,” indicating that “in this ten‑point response, Iran rejected the ceasefire and emphasized the need for a permanent end to the conflict.”

The agency reported that Tehran responded with specific demands, including “an end to conflicts in the region, a protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, reconstruction, and the lifting of sanctions.”

Meanwhile, the New York Times reported late Monday, quoting two unnamed Iranian officials, that the Islamic Republic is demanding, among other things, guarantees against future attacks and a halt to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

According to the proposal, Iran would be willing to lift the blockade on the Strait of Hormuz in return for charging a transit fee of about two million dollars per ship, with the revenue to be shared with the Sultanate of Oman, which lies across the waterway.

Iran would use its share of the revenue to rebuild infrastructure destroyed by U.S. and Israeli strikes, rather than demand direct compensation.

Earlier, Trump described the ceasefire proposal as a “crucial step” but noted that it was “not good enough.”

In a press conference, he confirmed that he could completely destroy Iran “overnight… if an agreement is not reached and the Strait of Hormuz is not opened by the deadline ending Tuesday at 8:00 PM (12:00 midnight GMT).”