Trump Privately Rejects Iran's Seven-Day Hormuz Reopening Plan, Expects Bombing to Resume After Midterms — WSJ

The Wall Street Journal reported Sep 26 that President Trump has rejected Iran's seven-day roadmap to reopen the Strait of Hormuz -- the plan Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi presented at the UN General Assembly on Sep 25 -- and told aides he considers a renewed US bombing campaign against Iran likely after the November midterm elections. Officials described Trump as privately skeptical Iran will meet his demands, though he remains reluctant to resume major combat operations for now and the scope of any envisioned strikes is unclear; his views could still shift depending on the midterm outcome. There was no official Washington statement on the proposal itself, and Reuters separately described the sidelines contacts in New York as 'positive and constructive.' The report landed as Brent crude closed Friday Sep 25 at $104.32/bbl, down 2.1% ($2.28) from Thursday's $106.60 settle, as markets had priced in some chance of Iran's proposal advancing before news of the rejection broke.