Only diplomacy ​can solve conflict, says Iran after Trump rejects peace plan

Iran has insisted that only diplomacy ​can solve its conflict with the US and Israel after Donald Trump said he rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait ‌of Hormuz and end the fighting. <p>Iran announced a peace proposal last week at the UN General Assembly in New York, saying it had been transmitted to the Americans via Qatari mediators.</p><p>​Mr Trump said on Saturday he rejected the plan and argued that Iranians were pushing for an agreement on the strait out of desperation.</p><p>Abbas Araghchi, Iranian foreign minister, said on social media: "Our conditions are clear, and any move toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz is contingent on these conditions being met.</p><p>"Only a negotiated solution can get them out of this deadlock."</p><p>"They want to make ​a deal to open the Hormuz Strait immediately because they're losing so badly," the US president told reporters at the White House.</p><widget id="7"></widget> <widget id="4"></widget><p>Despite ⁠Mr Trump's public statements, mediators facilitating Tehran's discussions with the US have not officially handed over a US rejection of the plan, according to Mr Araghchi.</p><p>"We are waiting for the mediators to ​convey the definitive views to us, and we will make a decision based on them," he posted.</p><p>The US has imposed an economic blockade to ramp up pressure on <strong>​<a href="https://news.sky.com/topic/iran-5977/1" target="_self">Iran</a></strong> to halt attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.</p><p>There has been significantly reduced shipping in the region, even as Mr Trump repeatedly claims that the US controls the waterway.</p> <widget id="2"></widget><p>The Wall Street Journal first reported that Mr Trump rejected the Iranian proposal, citing unnamed US officials.</p><p>It said he was privately doubtful that Tehran would meet his demands and had told his staff ​a renewed campaign of strikes seemed likely after the November US midterm elections.</p><p><strong>More from Sky News:<br /><a href="https://news.sky.com/story/spain-housing-crisis-protest-after-87-year-old-woman-evicted-13592322" target="_self">Spain housing protest after woman, 87, evicted</a></strong><br /><a href="https://news.sky.com/video/pope-leads-giant-open-air-mass-in-paris-13592178" target="_self"><strong>Pope leads giant open-air mass in Paris</strong></a></p><p>Iran's main point of leverage has been its disruption of the key waterway where, before the Iran war, 20% of the world's oil and gas passed through, with the effects being felt far beyond the Middle East.</p><p>A US official said earlier that talks with Iran through mediators were "positive and constructive".</p><p>The Iranians also said they consulted their Saudi rivals regarding the strategic waterway.</p> <widget id="3"></widget> <widget id="5"></widget><p>Mr Araghchi told reporters at the UN on Friday the proposed deal would <strong><a href="https://news.sky.com/story/iran-says-it-has-given-us-concrete-seven-day-plan-to-reopen-strait-of-hormuz-13591945" target="_self">spark a seven-day countdown</a></strong> to reopening the strait and a pause in regional fighting.</p><p>"If there is seriousness on the US side to come to a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, everything is now prepared," Mr Araghchi said.</p><p>If the US were to agree, the warring countries could engage in wider talks "on mutually agreed subjects", potentially including discussions of Iran's nuclear programme.</p><p>Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in an interview with the ​CBS show Face the Nation, said Iran was ready for talks on its nuclear programme and other issues, but would not accept "bullying ​or coercion".</p>