France, Sept. 26 -- "I reject their proposal," Trump told reporters outside the White House.

"They want to make a deal where they open the Strait immediately because they are losing so badly," he said. "They want to make a deal and I think that's fine. I like making a deal too."

The waterway key to the world's oil supply is central to the conflict between the US and Iran, which is at a stalemate after nearly seven months, though new mediation efforts took place this week.

Iranian state media reported earlier on Saturday that President Masoud Pezeshkian was on his way back to Tehran after attending the UN General Assembly in New York.

There he met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, according to the presidency, and said: "Iran ...