Trump Rejects Iran’s Terms as Hormuz Stays the Lever
Tehran wants a war-ending channel on terms that delay nuclear talks; Trump is using U.S. military and sanctions leverage to force the reverse.
Washington holds the leverage because it can keep pressure on Iranian shipping, ports, and diplomacy; Tehran is trying to trade immediate de-escalation for time on the nuclear file. Iran has delivered a new proposal to the United States to end the war, but Donald Trump said he was “not satisfied”, underscoring that the talks are not failing over whether to talk, but over what comes first. Gulf officials are signaling the same impasse: the UAE said Iran cannot be trusted on peace efforts around the Strait of Hormuz. 
UAE says Iran cannot be trusted over Hormuz peace efforts: an impasse 
Iran says US no longer in position to 'dictate' policy to other nations
The real fight is sequencing, not dialogue
Iran’s latest offer reportedly pairs a reopening of Hormuz and a path to end the war with a delay in substantive nuclear negotiations until after the conflict stops. Washington’s position is the reverse: Trump wants the nuclear issue addressed at the start of any negotiation, not parked for later. 
Trump reviews Iranian proposal aimed at reopening Strait of Hormuz US, Iran clash at UN after Tehran gets nuclear non-proliferation role
That matters because Hormuz is not just a military flashpoint; it is the world’s central energy choke point. Roughly 20% of global oil consumption moves through the strait, and Reuters reported that the March war disruption amounted to about 8 million barrels per day, prompting the IEA to authorize a record 400 million-barrel stock release. What is the Strait of Hormuz and why is it so important for oil? World faces largest-ever oil supply disruption on Middle East war, IEA says
Who benefits from delay, and who does not
Iran benefits if it can delink a war settlement from immediate nuclear concessions. That would reduce pressure on its shipping and ports while preserving room to maneuver on the issue that matters most to Washington. Trump benefits if he can turn U.S. military and sanctions pressure into a nuclear-first negotiating sequence, demonstrating that maritime calm will not be bought at the price of softer terms later. Trump reviews Iranian proposal aimed at reopening Strait of Hormuz US, Iran clash at UN after Tehran gets nuclear non-proliferation role
The UAE’s public skepticism is the clearest regional signal. Gulf states want shipping restored, but they also do not want a deal that gives Iran immediate operational relief without a tighter strategic constraint afterward. In wider 
Global Politics terms, this is a contest over whether the crisis ends as a maritime bargain or a nuclear bargain. For the United States, those are not the same thing. UAE says Iran cannot be trusted over Hormuz peace efforts: an impasse
What to watch next
The next decision point is whether the White House issues a counterproposal that ties any shipping relief to immediate nuclear commitments. Watch for three signals: a U.S. readout on sequencing, any verified Iranian move to normalize civilian shipping through Hormuz, and whether Gulf capitals back mediation or harder pressure. If Trump keeps saying no, the leverage remains with Washington — but so does the risk that the energy truce and the diplomatic track stay separate. Why might President Trump find it hard to reopen the Strait of Hormuz? UAE says Iran cannot be trusted over Hormuz peace efforts: an impasse
