Trump says Iran wants to make a deal over the Strait of Hormuz ‘because they’re dying’

An Iranian lawmaker warned Saturday that Tehran is prepared for further U.S. military action after President Donald Trump said he rejected Iran's latest proposal for a deal.

Mojtaba Zarei argued in a post on X that Trump's recent focus on Iran's nuclear program signals preparations for another strike.

"These repeated emphases from the corrupt Trump indicate that he is seeking military pressure to achieve his goal in the nuclear issue through a strike on some of Iran’s nuclear facilities, aimed at creating an illusory victory in American public opinion," Zarei wrote, according to an English translation provided by X.

Zarei warned that another U.S. strike would bring a stronger response from Tehran, adding that "there will be no surprise in Iran" and "Iran’s hands are on the trigger!"

A senior Iranian military spokesman said Saturday that President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would remain targets for punishment even after the U.S.-Iran war ends.

“Even if the war ends, we will not spare Trump, Netanyahu and their accomplices. Whether they are in power or not, they will pay for their actions,” Abolfazl Shekarchi said on Iranian state television.

Shekarchi warned U.S. forces to leave the Middle East, arguing that withdrawing sooner would result in fewer American losses.

He separately warned Washington against involvement in the Strait of Hormuz.

“The Americans can dream of intervening in the Strait of Hormuz,” Shekarchi said. “If they intervene in the Strait of Hormuz, they will receive a slap.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov offered Moscow's help stabilizing the Gulf region and condemned the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during an address to the U.N. General Assembly on Saturday.

"We need trust in the relationships between the Gulf states, the Arab states and Iran. We need stable regional architecture," Lavrov said.

"Russia, together with other responsible states, stands ready to constructively contribute to stabilizing this strategically important region."

Lavrov said it was unacceptable that force was used to kill Khamenei, members of his family and members of Iran's military and political leadership. He accused the U.S. and Israel of targeting civilian and International Atomic Energy Agency-safeguarded nuclear infrastructure during the war.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Saturday that Iran's regime is underestimating President Donald Trump's determination to achieve his objectives in the U.S. war against Tehran.

Blair told "Saturday in America" that the conflict should continue until its objectives are achieved, pointing to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons capability.

"We should negotiate, of course. If if you can do it by negotiation, fine. But the Iranians have got to know that there is a bottom line, and that bottom line is going to be met," Blair said.

Blair argued that Tehran may now be miscalculating Trump's willingness to continue the conflict.

"If there was an underestimation at the beginning of this of the resilience of the regime, I think there is an underestimation by the regime now of President Trump's determination to see this through," he said.

Blair also pointed to the economic pressure facing Tehran, saying the Iranian economy is in "desperate straits."

Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called the Iranian regime "horrible" during a heated exchange with Fox News host Sean Hannity over Israel and the war in Gaza.

Hannity pressed de Blasio over his criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and challenged the former mayor to condemn Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah.

"I did. I condemned Hamas many times. I think the Iranian regime is horrible. I think Hezbollah has been horrible things in Lebanon. That's not the point," de Blasio said.

De Blasio repeatedly criticized Netanyahu during the interview and argued that Israel's response to the Oct. 7 terrorist attack had resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians.

Hannity pushed back, arguing that Israel has a right to defend itself against Hamas and other threats.

"I think you have your moral compass all screwed up. You should be blaming Hamas. It should be blaming Iran," Hannity said.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Saturday that a record 146 countries condemned Iran over its attacks on civilian shipping, shortly after President Donald Trump said he rejected Tehran's latest ceasefire proposal.

"They broke the last deal. As soon as we had the MoU in place. they started launching on civilian shipping. and here as we come out of, the UN week here, the high level week, you know, it's notable that 146 countries, a UN record, condemned Iran for its attacks on civilian shipping," Waltz told "Fox News Live."

"You can't attack civilian shipping any more than you can start shooting down civilian airliners. because you're in some type of conflict. So it's it's a violation of international law. And it is good to see the world join us in condemning them for that," he added.

Asked whether U.S. strikes against Iran could soon resume, Waltz declined to get ahead of Trump but pointed to the administration's economic pressure campaign against Tehran.

"We're starting to see countries in the region and around the world no longer allow even Iran's airlines that have moved, weapons, soldiers and agents all over the world," he continued. "They're shutting down airline routes, they're shutting down correspondent banking. Their ability to indirectly access the dollar is increasingly, is increasingly drying up."

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said at the U.N. General Assembly Saturday that his country “stresses the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation in all international waterways, foremost among them the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.” 

“We must restore the situation in the Strait of Hormuz to its pre-28th of February status without the imposition of any fees or restrictions,” he continued, denouncing the idea of a potential toll system for the key waterway. 

“The kingdom supports efforts and initiatives that contribute to the de-escalation, foremost among them, the efforts of Qatar, Pakistan and other sisterly and friendly countries. This would contribute restoring stability to the region,” Al-Saud added. 

“We stress the need to ensure that the entire region is free of weapons of mass destruction and that peaceful nuclear programs are subject to international oversight, verification and safeguards,” he also said. 

President Donald Trump said Ali al-Zaidi is a “fantastic guy” following his meeting with the Iraqi prime minister on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly earlier this week. 

“It went great. He's a fantastic man. He's a friend of mine. I endorsed him, right? I mean, I endorsed him, the Iraqi prime minister, he's a fantastic guy,” Trump said Saturday when asked how the meeting went. 

The remarks come after the Office of Iraq’s Prime Minister announced Saturday it is in talks with the U.S. Treasury Department to secure an exemption linked to the shutdown of Iranian airlines.  

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this week that all Iranian airlines will be “shut down” starting Wednesday during the Operation Economic Outcast pressure campaign against the regime in Tehran.  

“The Iraqi government is conducting direct dialogue with the American side to exempt some Iraqi airports from these measures, in a manner that allows the resumption of air travel, for humanitarian reasons related to treatment, study, religious visits, and civilian interests,” the Iraq Prime Minister’s Office said Saturday.  

“While the Iraqi government is working to de-escalate the situation in the region, it affirms that the continuation of crises complicates the scene further, and calls on all parties to engage in dialogue and negotiation to reach solutions that end the current crisis and conflicts, in a way that achieves the interests of the region's countries and peoples,” it added. 

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) said this week that commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz “remains approximately 75% below pre-conflict levels.” 

“Tankers remain the predominant vessel type transiting the Strait,” it added, noting that “the southern Omani route remains the most reported corridor, accounting for 26 of 43 projectile strike incidents reported by UKMTO” since July 26. 

The U.S. war against Iran is nearing the 7-month mark, and the strain it’s putting on commercial shipping is impacting energy prices. 

As of Saturday, the national average price of a gallon of gas is $4.49, up from $4.10 a month ago, according to AAA.

The Israel Defense Forces said Saturday that it stuck a Hezbollah weapons storage facility in southern Lebanon. 

“The facility stored weapons that were used to target IDF soldiers operating in the Security Zone, and was struck to remove the threat it posed,” the IDF said on X. 

The Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group has been clashing with Israel during the U.S. war against Iran. 

President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran, who is “losing so badly” in their war against the U.S., wants to strike a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “because they’re dying.” 

“I’ve rejected their deal,” Trump said after Iran proposed a temporary ceasefire in exchange for reopening the key waterway. “They want to make a deal where they open the strait immediately because they're losing so badly.” 

"We’re winning tremendously. We have total control of the Hormuz Strait, massive amounts of oil are coming out of the Hormuz Strait,” Trump continued. “Last night we had 29 ships come out. They want to make a deal, and I think that's fine, I like making a deal, too, but that deal would not be acceptable.” 

“And what they want to do is immediately open the Hormuz Strait. You know why? Because they're dying,” Trump added. “You know why they're dying? Because they have no money coming in. Because they get their money from the Hormuz Strait. So they outsmarted themselves. They said, 'let's close it and cause a problem for the world.' And then I came along and we put up the greatest blockade ever in military history. It's a wall of steel.” 

“I would put it up and guess what? They don't have any money now because they wanted to close the strait. And I said, ‘that's fine, we're going to close it on you. But everybody else is able to use it,’” Trump also said. 

U.S. Central Command released a photo Saturday showing an F/A-18 Super Hornet preparing to take off from the flight deck of the USS George Washington as it sailed “regional waters in the Middle East.” 

CENTCOM has said “More than 50,000 U.S. service members are currently operating across the Middle East and remain vigilant, lethal, and prepared to continue executing operations directed by the Commander in Chief.” 

As of Friday, “CENTCOM forces have redirected 122 commercial vessels to ensure strict compliance” with an ongoing blockade of Iranian ports. 

President Donald Trump repeated his vow Saturday that the Iranian regime cannot obtain a nuclear weapon.

"IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The remark comes days after Trump told the U.N. General Assembly that he has a “big decision” to make when it comes to the war against Iran. 

“Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before? Maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world. Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?” Trump said.  

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohebbi vowed Tehran "will not stop punishing the U.S. until Iran’s seven conditions are met,” according to Iranian state media. 

Tehran has been calling on the Trump administration to lift the U.S. military’s naval blockade on Iranian ports and unfreeze some Iranian assets, among other asks. 

“We are the victors of the war and are turning it into permanent strategic deterrence,” Mohebbi was quoted as saying Friday by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency. 

President Donald Trump shared an image on his Truth Social account labeling the Strait of Hormuz the “Trump Strait” after a report emerged saying he rejected a proposed 7-day ceasefire from Iran. 

The Iranian proposal called for the U.S. to lift its naval blockade, unfreeze some Iranian assets and ease sanctions on Iranian oil exports in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming nuclear negotiations, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

Trump, during Operation Epic Fury, has made numerous remarks suggesting he would like to rename the Strait of Hormuz. 

“Pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” Trump said in mid-August. 

Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr and Brittany Miller contributed to this post. 

Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Col. Turki al-Malki said Saudi Arabia’s air defenses have intercepted attempted attacks from the Iran-backed Houthis. 

“Air defenses intercepted and destroyed two drones launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards the Riyadh area,” al-Malki wrote on X late Friday, before adding that the air defenses also “intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards Khamis Mushait.” 

Al-Malki wrote in a separate message that “escalations and violations by the terrorist Houthi militia will be dealt with firmly.” 

The Office of Iraq’s Prime Minister announced Saturday it is in talks with the U.S. Treasury Department to secure an exemption linked to the shutdown of Iranian airlines. 

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this week that all Iranian airlines will be “shut down” starting Wednesday during the Operation Economic Outcast pressure campaign against the regime in Tehran. 

“And how do we do that? That if they land, you cannot provide them with fuel. You cannot provide them with landing services, you cannot sell them tickets, or you will be knocked out of the dollar system,” Bessent told CNBC in an interview, describing the risk of secondary sanctions. 

“The Iraqi government is conducting direct dialogue with the American side to exempt some Iraqi airports from these measures, in a manner that allows the resumption of air travel, for humanitarian reasons related to treatment, study, religious visits, and civilian interests,” the Iraq Prime Minister’s Office said Saturday. 

“While the Iraqi government is working to de-escalate the situation in the region, it affirms that the continuation of crises complicates the scene further, and calls on all parties to engage in dialogue and negotiation to reach solutions that end the current crisis and conflicts, in a way that achieves the interests of the region's countries and peoples,” it added. 

President Donald Trump has rejected Iran's proposed seven-day ceasefire and told aides he expects U.S. bombing of Iran to resume after the November midterm elections, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing U.S. officials.

Trump is reportedly skeptical that Tehran will meet U.S. demands despite continued negotiations through regional mediators.

Iran's proposal called for the U.S. to lift its naval blockade, unfreeze some Iranian assets and ease sanctions on Iranian oil exports in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming nuclear negotiations, according to the Journal.

The U.S. has told Iran and mediators that Trump does not intend to lift the maritime blockade, the outlet reported.

The scope of any renewed U.S. strikes remains unclear, and officials told the Journal that Trump's position could change as negotiations continue.

Yesterday's Fox News Digital live blog offers additional coverage of the conflict with Iran.