Iran offers Strait of Hormuz deal; Trump dissatisfied but prefers non-military path

An Iranian proposal so far rejected by U.S. President Trump would open shipping in the ⁠Strait of Hormuz and end the U.S. blockade of Iran while leaving talks on Iran’s nuclear program for later, a senior Iranian official said on Saturday.

Trump, who has said repeatedly that ​Iran can never have a nuclear weapon, said ​on Friday he was not satisfied ​with the latest Iranian proposal for talks, while Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran was ready for diplomacy if the United States changes its approach.

Trump also said on Friday that “on a human basis,” he did not prefer the military course of action against Iran and told leaders in the U.S. Congress that he did not ⁠need ‌their permission to extend the war beyond a deadline.