Trump rejects Iranian proposal to open Hormuz and end the war

US President Donald Trump on Saturday said he had rejected Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end war in the Middle East.

“I reject their proposal. … I rejected their deal, Trump said in comments to reporters at the White House.

Iran raised the initiative at the UN General Assembly in New York, stating that it had been transmitted to the Americans through Qatari mediators and that it could reopen the strategic waterway and put an end to hostilities in the region within seven days.

“They want to make a deal to open the Hormuz Strait immediately because they’re losing so badly,” he said before leaving for Tennessee. “We’re winning tremendously.

“They want to make a deal and I think that’s fine, I like making a deal too. What they want to do is immediately open the Hormuz Strait … because they have no money coming in, because they get their money from the Hormuz Strait,” Trump said.

The US has imposed an economic sanctions and blockade on Iran to put pressure on Tehran to open the strait of Hormuz, which has drastically reduced shipping through the strait.

A US official had earlier stated that discussions with Iran through mediators were “positive and constructive”.