Iran has rejected a United States ceasefire proposal delivered by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi during a visit to Tehran on Thursday, dismissing the offer as inadequate for failing to address the future of control over the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi cited an irrational American approach as the main obstacle.
Al-Zaidi carried the proposal to Tehran after meeting US President Donald Trump at the White House roughly 10 days earlier, his first official trip abroad since taking office in May 2026. He met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and Araghchi. Trump responded by saying Iran was "not ready" for a deal and accused its leaders of harboring ill intent.
The diplomatic collapse comes as US strikes on Iranian military sites and infrastructure entered a 13th consecutive night. Iranian officials told The New York Times that further attacks would prompt Tehran to expand the conflict regionally, including strikes on Tel Aviv and a Houthi-enforced closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait.