Iran proposes to end war within 30 days, but Trump is skeptical.

Donald Trump announced on Sunday an initiative that will begin on Monday to help ships trapped in the Strait of Hormuz, closed by Iran. The U.S. president, however, provided few details.

In a social media message, he stated that “neutral and innocent countries” have been affected by the war in Iran and that “we have assured these countries that we will guide their ships safely out of these restricted waterways, so they can resume their activities freely and effectively.”

The “Freedom Project” will start on Monday morning in the Middle East, President Trump said, adding that his representatives are in discussions with Iran, which could lead to “something very positive for everyone.”

Iran’s control of the strait, imposed after the war started by the United States and Israel on February 28, has shaken global markets.

Mr. Trump spoke a few hours after Iran announced it was reviewing the American response to its latest proposal for a cessation of hostilities, emphasizing that the negotiations were not about nuclear issues.

Additionally, a cargo ship sailing near the Strait of Hormuz was attacked on Sunday by several vessels, according to the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations. There have been at least two dozen attacks in and around the strait since the war began in Iran.

The crew of the ship, heading north, is safe after the attack off Sirik, east of the strait, the British observer reported. Iranian authorities claim to control the strait and allow the passage of non-U.S. or Israeli-affiliated ships for a fee, challenging the freedom of navigation guaranteed by international law.

Iran denied any attack, according to semi-official Iranian news agencies Fars and Tabnak, stating that a passing ship was stopped for document checking as part of a surveillance operation.

The British observer noted that this was the first reported attack in the area since April 22. Tehran effectively closed the strait by attacking and threatening ships, and the threat level in the area remains critical.

Iranian patrol boats, some powered by two outboard motors, are small, agile, and difficult to detect. Last month, President Trump ordered the U.S. military to “shoot and destroy” small Iranian boats deploying mines in the strait.

The fragile three-week ceasefire appears to be holding, even though President Trump said on Saturday that new strikes were still possible.

Teheran is considering the American response to its latest proposal, according to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmail Baghaei, quoted by the Iranian judicial power-linked Mizan news agency.

The Iranian nuclear program and uranium enrichment have long been at the heart of tensions with the U.S., but Teheran prefers to address this issue later.

The last Iranian proposal to the U.S. involves resolving differences within 30 days and aims to end the war rather than extend the ceasefire, according to media close to the Iranian regime.

President Trump said on Saturday that he was considering a new Iranian proposal, but expressed doubts about the possibility of reaching an agreement, stating on social media that “they have not paid a sufficiently high price for what they have done to humanity and the world over the past 47 years,” since the Islamic revolution.

Iran’s 14-point proposal, following the U.S. nine-point plan, also demands the lifting of sanctions, an end to the naval blockade of ports, withdrawal of forces from the region, and cessation of all hostilities, including Israeli operations in Lebanon, according to the semi-official Nour News and Tasnim news agencies, close to Iranian security organizations.

Iran conveyed its proposal through Pakistan, which hosted direct talks between Iran and the U.S. last month.

Pakistan’s prime minister, foreign minister, and army chief continue to push negotiations forward and encourage direct dialogue between the U.S. and Iran.

On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held talks with his Omani counterpart, Badr al-Busaidi, who oversaw previous rounds of talks between the U.S. and Iran, as well as representatives from Brazil and Spain.

Iran remains firm on the Strait of Hormuz, even as the U.S. proposes a plan to reopen it. The British military monitoring organization said on Sunday that ships near Ras el Khaimah, the northernmost emirate of the United Arab Emirates near the strait, received radio warnings to leave their anchorages. The identity of the message sender was not specified.

The vice-president of the Iranian parliament stated that Teheran will not yield on its position regarding the strait and will not return to pre-war conditions. He spoke during a visit to the strategically located Larak port facilities.

The U.S. warned maritime companies that they face sanctions if they pay money to Iran, in any form, to safely pass through the strait.

Meanwhile, the U.S. naval blockade imposed since April 13 deprives Tehran of the oil revenues needed to support its struggling economy. Central Command announced on Sunday that 49 commercial ships were ordered to turn around.

“We believe they have received less than $1.3 million in tolls, which is a paltry sum compared to their former daily oil revenues,” said U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to Fox News on Sunday.

He added that Iranian oil reserves are rapidly filling up and “they will have to start shutting down wells, which could happen as soon as next week.”

On the second working day of the week in Iran, the rial weakened further against the U.S. dollar, exchanging at 1,840,000 rials.

Analysts believe there is a strong chance the Iranian currency will continue to decline.

In December, the rial was trading at 1.3 million to a dollar, historically low at the time, sparking widespread protests against the deteriorating economy. Markets in Tehran remain unstable, with prices of some goods increasing daily.

According to Iranian media reports, several factories did not renew their employees’ contracts after the Iranian New Year in March, leading to a significant number of job losses.

Yousef Pezeshkian, son and advisor of President Masoud Pezeshkian, wrote on Telegram that both the U.S. and Iran see themselves as winners of the war and are not willing to concede.

By Adam Schreck and Melanie Lidman, The Associated Press