Iran’s offer to the United States to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days remains open, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Iranian media on Sunday. He spoke while in Baghdad for a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Iran made the proposal in mid-September, after an interim ceasefire collapsed. Tehran later confirmed it had received a US response. Iran’s security chief said last week that talks had stalled because Washington had not addressed all seven of Tehran’s conditions for reopening the waterway.
Conditions attached to the reopening offer
Araqchi said Iran’s demands include lifting the US blockade of its ports and ending US sanctions on its oil exports. Tehran also wants an end to hostilities on all regional fronts. He said Washington’s comments were under review, but that the proposal still stood.
According to Araqchi, if Washington accepts these conditions, the strait could reopen within six days, with talks resuming the following day. He said the way forward was clear if the US was honest, adding that he did not believe it was.
Dispute over the nuclear programme and talks
A central point of disagreement is Washington’s insistence that Iran’s nuclear programme be addressed from the outset. US Vice President JD Vance said earlier this month that Iran must make a “meaningful” cut to its uranium enrichment capacity to meet US demands and end the countries’ eight-month war.
Tehran argues that negotiations should first focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and restoring security in the waterway. Before the war, the strait carried about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas trade.
