BlockBeats reported on Sept. 26 that several new developments emerged around the Middle East situation.
Trump rejects Iran's seven-day ceasefire proposal
According to The Wall Street Journal, U.S. officials said President Donald Trump has rejected a seven-day ceasefire proposal from Iran and told aides he expects to resume bombing Iran after the U.S. midterm elections in November.
Officials familiar with the matter also said the United States has informed Iran and mediators that Trump does not intend to lift the maritime blockade.
U.S. and Iran remain in contact through intermediaries
Iran's foreign minister said the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened within seven days, subject to certain conditions. If Washington accepts the seven-day plan, the strait would be reopened, he said.
Commenting on the "seven-day plan," a U.S. official said Washington is engaged in active and constructive discussions with Iran through intermediaries, while communication on nuclear issues is continuing.
Al Jazeera said the U.S.-Iran talks had entered a technical consultation stage. Fars News, however, cited an Iranian source as saying that report was "not true."
Iranian president backs conditions for substantive negotiations
Iran's president said he supports restoring a memorandum of understanding, which he said would create conditions for substantive negotiations.
He also said Iran does not want nuclear weapons and is willing to advance talks with the United States.
A senior Iranian official separately said that even if the U.S. accepts Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Iran will not make concessions on its nuclear program.
Hormuz traffic falls to single digits
Preliminary data showed that commercial vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to single digits.
A U.S. official said Washington and Tehran are holding active discussions through mediators, and that nearly 40 million barrels of crude oil pass through Hormuz.
Pakistan's prime minister called for both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to remain open.