Trump Reiterates Iran Can Never Have Nuclear Weapon as He Rejects Seven-Day Ceasefire Proposal

President Trump is standing firm on his demand that Iran never obtain a nuclear weapon as his administration weighs Tehran’s latest proposal to halt fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has repeatedly made clear that preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons remains a central condition for any lasting agreement between Washington and Tehran.

Iran presented a proposal that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz and halt hostilities within seven days. Iranian officials said the plan was delivered to the United States through Qatari mediators as leaders gathered in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

Under the proposal, the United States would lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports, ease sanctions affecting Iranian oil sales and observe a ceasefire that would also extend to Lebanon. Iran, in return, would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart negotiations with Washington over its nuclear program.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the seven-day timeline would begin once the United States accepted the plan. He said the initial steps could be completed within four or five days, with the strategically important waterway reopening by the sixth day.

Trump, however, reportedly rejected the proposal and has remained skeptical that Tehran is prepared to accept Washington’s demands. The president has told aides that renewed American military action against Iran could become necessary after the November midterm elections if an acceptable agreement is not reached.

The president has continued to emphasize one condition above everything else: Iran cannot be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon. Speaking earlier this week, Trump confirmed that discussions between the two countries were continuing and expressed hope that an eventual settlement could still be reached.

Trump also used his address before the United Nations General Assembly to increase pressure on Tehran. He called on other countries to economically isolate Iran until its government abandons its nuclear ambitions, ends attacks on commercial shipping and stops supporting terrorist organizations.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the central issues in the negotiations because of its importance to global energy markets. The narrow waterway connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and serves as a critical shipping route for oil and natural gas exports from the region.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that the administration remains willing to communicate with Iranian officials if negotiations have a realistic chance of producing results. Trump has similarly said that Iran wants to talk and predicted that an agreement could eventually be reached, even as he refuses to soften his position on Tehran’s nuclear program.

For now, Iran’s seven-day proposal has failed to produce the breakthrough Tehran was seeking. Trump continues to leave the door open to diplomacy while maintaining that any agreement must ultimately satisfy his central demand that Iran never be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon.