SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard said Monday that it rescued at least 40 people in open waters after their boat capsized several miles from a tiny, uninhabited island west of Puerto Rico.
Two people were found dead, with survivors reporting an estimated 60 people aboard, the agency said.
Rescue efforts were ongoing as of Monday evening.
Survivors spent more than 12 hours in the water before a boat passing near Mona Island spotted them on Monday around noon and called authorities, helping rescue four people at that moment.
The Coast Guard said the makeshift boat capsized late Sunday following a fight in which people were severely injured by a machete, leading the group to jump into the water without life vests.
It wasn't immediately clear where the people were from. A U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson said she did not have that information.
Migrants fleeing poverty and violence have long traveled from Hispaniola, the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, to Puerto Rico and other islands, navigating the treacherous Mona Passage.
Many of them do so on makeshift vessels that sometimes capsize in rough waters, with Monday marking the latest deadly voyage.
In June 2022, 11 Haitian girls and women were buried in Puerto Rico after the grossly overloaded boat they were in capsized in open waters northwest of the U.S. territory.
Last week, police in the Turks and Caicos Islands detained a makeshift boat carrying 60 Haitian migrants, while in June, another 240 migrants from Haiti were detained near the archipelago.
Gang violence has displaced a record 1.5 million people across Haiti, where more than 3,050 people were reported killed from January to June, according to U.N. statistics.
Armed men control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince and swaths of land in Haiti's central region and beyond.
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Flooded neighborhoods, damaged highways and widespread power outages stretched from the East Coast to Hawaii over the weekend. A deadly nor'easter forced water rescues along the Atlantic coast, while Hurricane Nolo brought flooding rain to Hawaii and powerful Hurricane Polo approached Mexico.
If your weekend weather bingo card had major hurricanes, a wildfire, pending volcanic activity and a nor'easter, you nearly had it covered. Then a "zombie storm" came back to life and Monday brought a new tropical storm.
Here is a look at the biggest weather stories from the weekend and what comes next.
Nor'easter leaves more than 200,000 without power
Powerful waves from a nor'easter crash over homes in Scituate, Massachusetts, on Sept. 26, 2026. (Image: Tony Laubach)
The season's first nor'easter flooded roads and homes, disrupted travel and knocked out power to more than 200,000 customers across the Northeast over the course of the storm. A New York City Housing Authority employee was killed by a falling tree on Saturday.
Along the Massachusetts coast, powerful waves crashed over seawalls and homes in Scituate as repeated high tides prolonged the damage.
New Jersey flooding triggers rescues and cuts off roads
Ted Friedli kayaks his way through a flooded section of Florence Ave. during a nor'easter in Long Branch, N.J., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 (Photo credit: AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Water rescues mounted along the Jersey Shore as seawater surrounded homes and submerged streets. First responders in Sea Bright reported about 90 rescues on Saturday. Flooding also forced the Route 72 bridge to Long Beach Island to close.
Wind gusts reached 74 mph on Long Beach Island, and more than 69,000 New Jersey customers lost power.
Outer Banks highway damaged as Virginia streets remain flooded
An aerial view of Highway 12 between Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe, North Carolina, after a coastal storm washed away chunks of the highway. (Image: NC DOT)
Days of onshore winds pushed water across North Carolina's Outer Banks, closing stretches of N.C. Highway 12 because of ocean overwash and damaged pavement. An initial assessment identified roughly 1,000 feet of undermined or broken roadway near the Pea Island Visitor Center.
North Carolina Department of Transportation Communications Officer Tim Hass told AccuWeather such severe damage is unusual, even along a highway frequently exposed to ocean overwash.
"It is not common, but the road has been damaged before, notably by Hurricanes Irene and Sandy in 2011 and 2012. Those were also times that the emergency ferry route has been placed in operation," Hass said.
Flooding in Hampton Roads, Virginia, on Sept. 23, 2026. (Image: Leslie Hudson)
Storm uncovers a possible 142-year-old shipwreck
On Nantucket, the nor'easter stripped away enough sand to reveal wooden wreckage believed to be from the Warren Sawyer, a schooner that ran aground in December 1884. A resident spotted the exposed timbers Saturday along the island's south shore.
Nolo brings flooding rain to Hawaii as a separate fire forces evacuations
Members of the Hawaii Army National Guard work with other emergency officials as rainwater from nearby Hurricane Nolo floods a section of Mamalahoa highway Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, near Naalehu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Hurricane Nolo strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane on Sunday while remaining south of Hawaii. Its effects reached the islands, with high winds closing Kohala Mountain Road and three-day rainfall totals exceeding 17 inches at some Big Island locations. Statewide power outages topped 16,000 early Sunday.
On Maui, a separate brush fire erupted Saturday near Olowalu Village, prompting evacuations and temporarily closing Honoapiʻilani Highway. The emergencies unfolded as some Hawaii communities continued recovering from hurricanes Lala and Lowell.
On the Big Island, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists continue to watch for Kīlauea to begin its 55th eruptive episode after some venting activity was spotted ahead of Nolo's close pass.
Polo makes first landfall in Mexico after reaching 180 mph
Hurricane Polo entered the weekend after again reaching Category 5 strength with 180-mph winds Friday. Although weakening, the hurricane remained a serious threat to northwestern Mexico.
Olive ridley sea turtle egg recovery event in Huntington Beach. (Credit: Aquarium of the Pacific)
The recent busy Pacific hurricane activity fits a familiar El Niño pattern: Warmer waters and reduced wind shear favor storm development in the eastern and central Pacific, while stronger wind shear tends to suppress activity in the Atlantic.
'Zombie storm' Fay keeps its story going
Tropical Storm Fay's complete track, including the "zombie" portion, shown in red.
Fay entered the weekend after an unusual comeback. The Atlantic system lost its tropical characteristics Tuesday, then reorganized and regained tropical storm status late Wednesday - earning the unofficial nickname "zombie storm." By Monday, Fay was a tropical depression.
Monday brings Tropical Storm Hanna and gradual relief in the Northeast
Tropical Storm Hanna formed late Monday morning about 850 miles northeast of Bermuda, becoming the Atlantic season's eighth named storm. It had sustained winds of 45 mph and was moving east. AccuWeather meteorologists do not expect direct impacts on the United States.
Meanwhile, the nor'easter was slowly pulling away. Conditions were expected to improve significantly by late Monday, although lingering coastal flooding could persist where water was slow to drain.
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Gov. Greg Abbott declared a statewide disaster on Monday over soaring diesel prices and a worsening fuel shortage created by wars abroad.
The 30-day disaster declaration, which can be extended indefinitely, allowed Abbott to lift some restrictions on commercial transportation, which he said will alleviate some of the elevated costs. Diesel fuel is used in farming and commercial shipping, so elevated fuel prices are passed through to consumers in the form of higher costs for goods at the grocery store.
The declaration expands the use of dyed diesel on Texas roads, suspends Texas Low Emission Diesel rules to the limit the federal government authorizes and raises the allowable weight for fuel, agricultural and timber loads. The governor also requested the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to waive federal ultra-low sulfur diesel requirements to boost supply.
“Texas agriculture and freight run on diesel,” Abbott wrote in a statement. “Record prices put both industries at risk and raise costs for every Texas family. Farmers and truckers can now use dyed diesel on Texas roads, and fuel, crop, and timber loads can move at a higher weight. These steps cut costs on the farm, on the road and at the store.”
Dyed diesel is chemically the same as regular diesel available at gas stations, but it is tinted the color red and used in off-road farm and construction equipment. Because it’s exempt from federal and state motor fuel road taxes, typically its use on public roads is prohibited and violators are subject to fines for tax evasion, according to state law.
Removing restrictions on the use of dyed diesel could reduce prices by increasing the supply of diesel available for everyday use.
Abbott’s order does not waive the underlying fuel tax, which is a flat 20 center per gallon on both gasoline and undyed diesel.
The governor’s disaster declaration and order comes as AAA reports an average diesel price of $5.86 per gallon in Texas. Monday also marks seven months since the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, leading to an extended disruption of oil and gas exports from the Middle East. The ongoing conflict has created elevated gas and diesel prices across the world.
Affordability has become central to election season in the U.S. ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Abbott and other statewide Republican officials face competitive elections in a state that no Democrat has won statewide in since 1994.
Abbott’s opponent, Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, called on the governor to waive the state gas tax. Abbott’s office has argued he does not have the ability to unilaterally waive taxes.
The Texas Democratic Party reiterated that position in a statement on Monday, calling on Abbott to suspend the gas tax altogether and blaming President Donald Trump’s foreign policy for the high prices.
“Abbott must also demand that Donald Trump lift his absurd tariffs and halt the unnecessary war that are driving up costs for Texans,” TDP executive director Terri Burke said. “Abbott cannot keep asking working families to shoulder the burden of his political loyalty to Trump while Texans pay the price.”
FAIRFORD, England (AP) — Police were holding five men on Monday and examining suspected explosives found near a U.S.-operated air force base in England, as counterterror detectives investigated whether the arrests foiled an attempted attack linked to Iran.
The men were detained early Sunday after three vans were spotted near RAF Fairford, a U.K.-owned base that has been used by American bombers during decades of conflicts in the Middle East.
Investigators have not concluded whether the incident is a state-backed attack. They are investigating a possible link to Iran, Russia or non-state-backed militant groups. RAF Fairford has also been the focus of protests by anti-war campaigners.
The five suspects, who have not been named, were initially held over suspected explosives offenses, and later also arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism. Police can hold them for up to 14 days before they must be charged or released.
Residents were evacuated from 85 homes in the village of Whelford near the base on Sunday and army bomb-disposal experts used a robot to examine three white vans. The villagers had not been able to go home as of Monday morning, and the vans had not yet been moved.
Arrests came after reports of suspicious vehicles
President Donald Trump said the suspects had been detained following cooperation between the U.S. and Britain, and had been “under view” for some time. Police, however, said the arrests were triggered by a late-night call about “suspicious vehicles” near the base.
British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting declined to give details of the operation, but said “it was a proud moment” that Trump had recognized “the work that our police and intelligence services do every day.”
“As and when we can, we will report back to the public about these individuals and about the nature of the threat,” Streeting told Times Radio.
The arrests come at a time of heightened tensions around the threat from hostile states, with British intelligence services saying Russia and Iran have both used proxies to commit crimes on British soil. In March, officials said the number of national security cases involving activity by hostile states including Iran increased 50% in the six months to December 2025.
Iran has been linked to a series of attacks in Europe
Britain did not join the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran that began Feb. 28 and initially denied Trump’s request to use bases in the U.K. to strike Iran. But then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed in March to let the U.S. use bases in Britain for what he called “defensive” operations against Iran’s missiles and their launch sites following Iranian attacks on U.K. interests and Britain’s allies in the Gulf.
American B-1 and B-52 bombers have taken off from Fairford, 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of London, for operations during the Iran conflict.
Iran has said it considers any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target.
British security officials say proxies linked to Iran have been behind a string of arson and sabotage attempts in the U.K. and other countries, many of them targeting the Jewish community. They have previously warned that Tehran could expand its targets in the U.K. if conflicts in the Middle East continue.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said Monday that the incident is a “reminder of the threats our country faces.”
Miliband met Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the United Nations in New York last week and told him that “Britain will not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on U.K. soil,” according to a U.K. readout of the conversation.
US Air Force says personnel remain vigilant
The U.S. Air Force said its personnel based at RAF Fairford “remain vigilant,” but “for operational security reasons we will not discuss specific force protection measures.”
The U.S. Embassy in London has warned Americans in Britain to be cautious and mindful of their personal security.
Trump said authorities had the suspects “under view for a long time and we got them.”
“It was an amazing job. We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort. And working with the British worked out great,” he told reporters in Chicago on Sunday.
___
Lawless reported from Liverpool, England. Ben Finley in Washington contributed to this report.
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Remnants of a powerful nor'easter continued to hit parts of the U.S. East Coast early Monday after bringing a fierce combination of heavy rain, strong winds and dangerous waves to multiple states in its path over the weekend.
In coastal sections of New York and New Jersey, the storm triggered such intense flooding that residents were seen paddling through their neighborhoods on kayaks and canoes, past parked cars that had become partially or nearly submerged in water.
The nor'easter has caused at least one death, in Brooklyn, New York, where officials said 56-year-old New York City Housing Department employee Leighton Brown was hit by a falling tree. A swimmer thought to be missing on Saturday afternoon was later found "alive and well," state police said. They believed he'd disappeared after he was seen swimming off a beach at the Long Island south shore community of Fire Island, but he contacted police himself after learning of their search for him through news coverage.
Flooding was reported in parts of New Jersey, including Long Beach Island, Surf City and Rumson, where Carolyn Cashion spotted a fox swimming in floodwater.
Some 21,000 homes and businesses in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts remained without power early Monday, according to the utility tracker PowerOutage.us.
Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill declared states of emergency for certain regions.
In its latest forecast, the National Weather Service warned that the nor'easter was expected to dump more rain on mid-Atlantic and northeastern states through Monday night, potentially causing additional bouts of flooding. Rough surf, including rip currents, was also likely to imperil beachgoers as far south as the Carolinas, while wind gusts of up to 50 mph could tear through a block of the tristate area from New Jersey to Long Island, according to the forecast.
The New York Yankees canceled their final game of the season against the Baltimore Orioles, which was supposed to be played at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on Sunday, due to the inclement weather.
At MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where the New York Giants took on the Tennessee Titans in a week 3 NFL matchup, the strong winds sent several portable toilets sliding across the parking lot.
Swirling winds produced by the storm could knock out additional power lines and topple more trees, the weather service said, adding that excessive rainfall could potentially also cause some flooding in inland sections of New Jersey all the way up to New England. The agency said rain would primarily lead to localized flash flooding, with urban areas, roads, small streams and narrow canyons facing the greatest risks of inundation.
The New York City area could see another 1 or 2 inches of rain through Sunday night, while water levels along the shores of New Jersey and Delaware may swell as much as 12 feet, said CBS News meteorologist Andrew Kozak, adding that bands of heavy rain could persist in parts of Long Island and southern Connecticut, too.
Farther north, sections of New England, including Boston, would likely receive between 2 and 4 more inches of rain, although up to 7 inches was possible, he said.
Watching high tide
The weather service had urged people along the eastern seaboard to brace for major coastal damage as the nor'easter moved in, writing in an advisory that "repeated rounds of flooding" were expected throughout the weekend, especially around high tide.
"Prepare immediately for significant inundation in low-lying areas near the shore, including roads under water and impacts to homes and businesses," the advisory read.
In Nantucket, Massachusetts, waves uncovered parts of a shipwreck along the island's south shore on Saturday. The Nantucket Current reported that the wreck is likely part of a 19th-century wooden ship that wrecked near Miacomet Beach in 1884.
Just north of the island, footage taken in the coastal town of Marshfield shows sea foam around beachfront houses on Saturday.
The weather service said the storm would coincide with at least one more high tide cycle on Sunday. Kozak noted that the tide posed flooding threats to parts of coastal New York, like areas around Jamaica Bay, bordering the city's Brooklyn and Queens boroughs, and those near lower New York Harbor. He also said New Jersey and Delaware could see moderate tidal flooding, which should ease as the nor'easter weakens.
Dozens of river, creek, stream and coastal flooding incidents, as well as damaging wind incidents, were reported from North Carolina to New York between Friday and Saturday, according to the weather service. As of Saturday, the strongest wind gusts were recorded in Surf City, New Jersey, and Montauk Point, New York, where they respectively approached 74 and 81 mph — mirroring those of a low-grade hurricane.
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British police on Sunday arrested five men on suspicion of terror and explosives offenses close to an airbase in England that is used by US long-range bombers in the war against Iran.
Army bomb disposal units are at the scene while dozens of houses nearby have been evacuated as a precaution with the investigation ongoing.
The arrests were made after information was received from residents in the area soon after midnight, according to Richard Ocone, a senior detective in the county of Gloucestershire. The men have not been identified and no clue has been given about a possible motive.
A senior officer in Counter Terrorism Policing, Vicki Evans, confirmed: “We are in the early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody. As you would expect we are working closely with our partners to understand the circumstances of the incident.”
On top of the suspected explosives offenses, the men were “further arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act,” according to counter-terrorism police. Counter-terrorism laws allow UK police to hold suspects for up to 14 days before they are charged.
US President Donald Trump called the arrests “fantastic,” saying the US and the UK had the men under investigation for “a long time.”
“Working with Britain, it was an amazing job,” Trump told reporters in Chicago. “They were looking to do big damage to our fort and working with the British worked out great.”
“We had them under view for a long time, and we got them,” he said.
However, multiple UK media outlets - including the BBC, the Guardian and the Telegraph - reported, citing sources, that the operation was not intelligence-led, suggesting the vigilance of local residents may have played a key role in alerting authorities.
One resident, who did not want to be named, told CNN she was driving home with her husband around 1:30 am Sunday when she found her driveway blocked by three vans, which she said was “strange.”
Then she saw a group of around eight to ten masked men running away, so she tried to call a Ministry of Defence number given to residents of the area around the base.
But there was no answer, and so she called the police.
Later, she sent a message to the village Whatsapp group to warn them of the incident, she told CNN.
Speaking to Sky News on Monday morning, British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting thanked the woman for making the emergency call.
But, he added: “With respect, though, she does only have a partial picture,” without giving further details.
The US Embassy in London warned Americans in the UK to “exercise caution and be mindful of personal security” in the wake of the arrests.
Aerial footage appeared to show a bomb disposal robot roaming between three white vans in woods near the base. The rear doors of two of the vans were open and large black items could be seen scattered around.
On Sunday evening, CNN teams standing near the perimeter fence of RAF Fairford heard what sounded like two controlled detonations from the direction of Whelford.
Earlier, the Gloucestershire Police told reporters that “the army’s explosive ordnance disposal unit continue to examine three vehicles near” the village. CNN has reached out to the UK Ministry of Defense for comment.
The Daily Mail published video purporting to show several individuals under arrest at the scene in the early hours of Sunday, local time. They appear to be shirtless with their arms behind their backs.
A local resident told CNN that she heard helicopters over Whelford at 2am, and bomb squad vehicles arrived about an hour later.
The village is close to the Royal Air Force base at Fairford which has been used by US B-1 bombers involved in targeting Iran and is a forward operating location for US Global Strike Command, which is tasked with managing long-distance strikes.
A US Air Force spokesperson at Fairford - where the 501st Combat Support Wing is based - told CNN: “For operational security reasons we will not discuss specific force protection measures.”
The unit “remains vigilant and will take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of our US service members, civilians, contractors, and their families,” the spokesperson said.
PM being kept informed
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham thanked emergency services on Sunday for their assistance, and local residents for their understanding as “precautionary checks are carried out.”
“I know today’s incident near RAF Fairford will be deeply concerning for local residents and for many people following developments across the country,” Burnham posted on X.
Earlier Sunday, a government spokesperson said the prime minister was receiving updates on the incident.
“We are grateful to the emergency services, who have acted quickly to detain several suspects and put measures in place to keep the community safe,” the spokesperson said.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further whilst investigations are ongoing.”
“We can be reassured that this is being dealt with, and it is exactly why our emergency response teams and Armed Forces are on standby 24/7,” said UK Defense Secretary Wes Streeting.
The incident is a reminder of the “threats that this country faces on a daily basis,” the UK’s PA Media news agency cited Streeting as saying.
Planes at RAF Fairford after a major incident was declared Sunday, with armed police manning a cordon near the village of Whelford in Gloucestershire. - Ben Birchall/PA WirePolice at a road block on the road to RAF Fairford after a major incident was declared Sunday, with armed police manning a cordon near the village of Whelford in Gloucestershire, near RAF Fairford which is used by the United States Air Force. - Ben Birchall/PA Wire
One local resident, who asked not to be identified, told PA Media that there had been heightened security precautions around the base in recent weeks.
“They have put heavy, very heavy, vehicles across all gates… very big tractors and things like that,” the resident said.
Another resident told CNN that it seemed the base had been on lockdown recently. “It’s been like a ghost town all week,” they said.
In March, the UK government gave the US Air Force permission to use Fairford to carry out strikes on Iranian missile sites used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Months later, the UK said its armed forces were ready to protect the country from any attack after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards issued a warning over allowing US bombers to fly from UK bases.
“Our Armed Forces are ready to keep the United Kingdom safe from any kind of attacks, whether it’s on our soil or from abroad. The UK stands ready 24/7 to defend itself,” a government spokesperson said.
This story has been updated with additional information.
CNN’s Molly English and James Frater contributed reporting.
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WASHINGTON/UNITED NATIONS/DUBAI, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Iran insisted on Sunday that only diplomacy can solve its conflict with the United States and Israel, after US President Donald Trump said he rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end fighting.
"Our conditions are clear, and any move toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz is contingent on these conditions being met," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi posted on social media. "Only a negotiated solution can get them out of this deadlock."
Iran announced a peace proposal last week at the UN General Assembly in New York, saying it had been transmitted to the Americans via Qatari mediators. Trump said on Saturday he rejected the plan, and argued that desperation was driving the Iranians’ push for an agreement on the key waterway.
"They want to make a deal to open the Hormuz Strait immediately because they're losing so badly," Trump told reporters at the White House.
Keeping the door to diplomacy open, however, Trump told Axios in a phone interview on Sunday that he expected US negotiators to engage in more talks this week.
Araqchi said mediators facilitating Tehran's talks with Washington had not officially relayed a US rejection of the plan.
"We are waiting for the mediators to convey the definitive views to us, and we will make a decision based on them," Araqchi posted.
The US has imposed an economic blockade on Iran to put pressure on Tehran to stop Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, which have drastically reduced shipping through the area even as Trump repeatedly asserts that the US controls the waterway.
The commander-in-chief of Iran's army, Amir Hatam, said the war was at a critical and decisive stage, adding that Tehran would not accept a situation in which it was unable to trade while foreign powers used the region's strategic waterways.
"If Iran cannot trade, if Iran cannot live, no one will be able to trade or live," he said, in comments reported by state media.
SAUDI ARABIA DRAWN DEEPER INTO WAR
Previous attempts at diplomacy have failed to end the war, which began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Since then it has alternated between pauses and renewed strikes, killing thousands while degrading the conventional forces of Iran and damaging its already ailing economy.
Iran and its allies have responded by extending the conflict throughout the region. Iran has struck US allies in the Gulf with drones and missiles, while its Houthi allies in Yemen have hit Saudi interests.
Saudi Arabia, the largest of the Gulf states, has been drawn deeper into the war this month as Houthi fighters have advanced in Yemen, routing forces of the Saudi-backed government and threatening Saudi oil exports through the Red Sea.
The Iran-backed Houthis have repeatedly fired into Saudi Arabia and, in a possible sign of further escalation, parents in Riyadh received notices from schools on Sunday saying classes would shift to remote learning for the week, according to people who received the messages.
The notice did not give a reason for the decision. Saudi authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Yemen's Houthi-run health ministry, meanwhile, said seven people were killed and 40 wounded, including children, in a strike on shops at a market at the Mawiya junction in Taiz province, in the southwest.
Later, Yemen's internationally recognised government said its forces had targeted a Houthi military camp and vehicles at the same junction.
CONFLICT HAS DISRUPTED OIL FLOWS, HARMED GLOBAL ECONOMY
The Iranians also engaged their Saudi rivals regarding the Strait of Hormuz during the brief flurry of diplomacy in New York, underscoring the stakes of a seven-month-old conflict that has disrupted oil flows through a critical shipping lane and taken a toll on the global economy.
Araqchi told reporters at the UN on Friday the proposed deal would trigger a seven-day countdown to reopening the strait and a pause in regional fighting.
"If there is seriousness on the US side to come to a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, everything is now prepared," Araqchi said. If the US were to agree, the warring parties could start wider talks "on mutually agreed subjects."
That could potentially include discussions of Iran's nuclear programme. Trump has cited preventing Tehran from ever acquiring a nuclear bomb as a key goal, along with ending its ability to attack its neighbours and creating conditions for Iranians to topple their leadership.
US envoy to the United Nations Mike Waltz said on Sunday in an interview with CNN's State of the Union that Trump had rejected the Iranian proposal because it required the immediate lifting of sanctions and release of frozen assets.
"So the bottom line is they were asking for everything up front with a promise that they would then talk," Waltz said. "The president's just not confident that the Iranians are coming in good faith and that they will truly negotiate the end of their nuclear programme."
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in an interview with the CBS show "Face the Nation", said Tehran was ready for talks on its nuclear programme and other issues, but would not accept "bullying or coercion".
"Iran is not seeking war, but will defend itself against pressure, threats and attacks,” Pezeshkian said, adding that it had already agreed that "we're not supposed to develop nuclear weapons".
(Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Writing by Timothy Heritage, Michelle Conlin and Alex Richardson; Editing by Jamie Freed, Alexander Smith and Jan Harvey)
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