US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz called Iran's seven day plan a “pretty cynical attempt” to secure sanctions relief, an end to the US naval blockade and access to billions of dollars in frozen assets. “I think it's kind of common sense that the president doesn't have a lot of confidence this time, after we just tried a few months ago,” Waltz said on NBC's Meet the Press, adding that Washington believed Iran had violated a previous memorandum of understanding by attacking international shipping. He called the Wall Street Journal's report that Trump told aides he expects to resume bombing Iran after the midterms “anonymous reporting,” and said “the president will leave all options on the table.” Trump publicly insists the election plays no role in his thinking on Iran. Any agreement would have to address Iran's highly enriched uranium and its ability to restore enrichment, Waltz said, noting Washington had previously offered to sell Tehran uranium.
Trump told Axios that Iran “overplayed their hand” and that he is “always thinking about” resuming strikes, with regional sources saying another round of indirect negotiations could take place as early as Monday. Iran's delegation in New York has no plans for a new round of negotiations and is awaiting Washington's response to proposals conveyed through Qatar, state-run IRNA reported, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is due to leave New York on Tuesday. President Masoud Pezeshkian told Al Jazeera the Strait of Hormuz crisis can be resolved through diplomacy, not force. Analyst Hamidreza Azizi said the rejection strengthens hardliners in Tehran who argue Iran can only strike a deal from a stronger position, and that he would not be surprised to see further Iranian escalation in the strait before the midterms.