What happened
U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected Iran's latest proposal for an end to the conflict. The proposal, made through Qatari mediators on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York City, included the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Trump, the Iranians want to make a deal because they are losing badly, but the proposed deal is not acceptable to the United States. The U.S. has total control of the Hormuz Strait, with massive amounts of oil coming out of it, and Trump stated that the regime is feeling the pressure due to the U.S. blockade.
The two sides have different conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran wants the U.S. to lift its blockade on Iranian ports, release Iran's frozen funds, and waive its oil sanctions before engaging in detailed negotiations over its nuclear program. The U.S., on the other hand, is seeking nuclear action first in exchange for lifting its blockade and agreeing to a wider ceasefire.
A June 17 memorandum of understanding between the two sides outlined a 60-day period to negotiate the final details for peace, but it expired in mid-August without an agreement on the details of how to handle Iran's existing nuclear stockpile. The U.S. is demanding the complete destruction or removal of Iran's enriched stockpile, while Iran maintains that it has a right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
