Iran Rejects US Offer After Two-Day Negotiation Window

Major General Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, declared on Tuesday that the United States’ response to Tehran’s demands was insufficient. He stated that Washington must fully and explicitly address Iran's seven conditions to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. This rejection came hours after US forces conducted air strikes on Qeshm Island late Monday night.

The strikes occurred after President Donald Trump expressed hope for a deal and said he did not plan to attack Iran after the midterm elections. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had also indicated on Monday that the government was authorized to renew a truce. However, the latest developments have cast doubt on the possibility of an immediate agreement.

Qatari negotiators delivered the US proposal to Tehran. Rezaei, writing on X, argued that America’s offer failed to meet the specific requirements set by the Iranian nation. He specified that the reopening of the strait is contingent upon the US acting upon all seven conditions.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the attacks, noting that the US deliberately kept the strikes quiet to reduce the risk of escalation. One US official described the actions as defensive. In one instance, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired a surface-to-air missile at a US warplane, which returned fire in self-defense. Another strike followed after US forces intercepted a missile launched from Qeshm at a commercial vessel.

Iran reported on Tuesday that it downed a US MQ-9 Reaper drone and two Lucas drones near the Strait of Hormuz. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the ball is now in Washington’s court. He characterized Tehran’s response to the Qatari-conveyed proposal as strong and rational, adding that Iran will not submit to threats and military action.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei outlined the seven-step diplomatic solution on Monday. The plan requires the US to end its blockade on Iranian ports and waive restrictions on Iranian oil sales. It also demands the cancellation of new sanctions and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Final talks on the nuclear file would follow these steps, with Baghaei claiming the process could be implemented in two days.

The US and Iran previously agreed to a ceasefire in the spring and signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding. That framework was never fully implemented. The earlier talks collapsed partly due to the US reluctance to agree to Iran controlling traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.