Trump Rejects Iran Truce Plan Over Upfront Demands, US Diplomat Says

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s latest truce offer as Tehran called for sanctions relief, access to frozen assets and an end to the US naval blockade before reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said.

Iranian negotiators only demanded the concessions up front to get the talks rolling, Waltz told NBC News.

“This was, I think, a pretty cynical attempt to put something on the table that they knew was unacceptable,” Waltz said of Iran’s demands for the lifting of the blockade, relief from sanctions, and access to billions of dollars in frozen assets.

Trump said Saturday that Iranian leaders wanted the agreement because “they are losing so badly.” He told Axios later that Tehran had “overplayed their hand” and the proposal was not acceptable.

Tehran was ready to reopen the strait if its conditions were met, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted that “only a negotiated solution” could end the conflict.

Despite rejecting the proposal, Trump said he expected talks with Iran to resume this week, possibly through indirect talks with Qatari mediators.