Wall Street: Trump Rejects Iran's Seven-Day Truce Proposal

The Wall Street Journal quoted U.S. officials as stating that President Donald Trump rejected an Iranian proposal for a seven-day ceasefire, following Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s presentation of the proposal during a side event at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. U.S. officials told the newspaper that Trump informed his aides he expects the bombing of Iran to resume after the midterm elections in November, amid the president’s skepticism about closed-door sessions regarding the possibility of Iran meeting U.S. demands.

Last Sunday, Iran floated the idea of a seven-day combat halt during a meeting in Qatar, which could pave the way for ending Iranian attacks on maritime navigation in exchange for the United States lifting its imposed blockade, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to the newspaper. However, informed officials confirmed that the United States had informed Iran and mediators that Trump does not intend to lift the naval blockade on Iran, as Washington believes economic pressure will compel Tehran to sign an agreement.

According to the Wall Street Journal, citing Arab mediators, Iranian diplomats presented several proposals to end the war and acknowledged the worsening economic crisis in their country. Nevertheless, officials emphasized in their comments to the newspaper that Trump’s current positions could change as the conflict continues in the coming weeks and may be influenced by the results of the midterm elections. U.S. officials stated that Trump is hesitant to resume major combat operations against Iran, partly due to the United States’ desire to preserve its dwindling ammunition reserves for potential other emergencies.