Iran offers US seven-day plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz

Iran proposed a seven-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart nuclear negotiations with the United States, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Under the plan, the strait would reopen at the end of the seventh day if Washington meets a set of conditions, after which comprehensive talks on Iran's nuclear programme would begin.samaa.tv+1

The proposal matters because the Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider Arabian Sea, and a large share of the world's petroleum shipments normally passes through it. Linking the waterway's reopening to sanctions relief and a blockade lift gives Iran leverage over global energy supply, while compressing the timeline from the 60 days set by the earlier memorandum to just seven.english.mathrubhumi.com

What the plan requires

Araghchi said Iran delivered the proposal to Washington through intermediaries. The conditions include an end to all hostilities during the seven-day period, including military operations in Lebanon, relief from US sanctions on Iranian oil, release of frozen Iranian assets estimated at at least $12 billion, and the lifting of the US naval blockade before the waterway reopens. Comprehensive nuclear negotiations would begin after reopening.

Araghchi said the plan closely mirrors commitments in the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding reached between the United States and Iran in June, but is designed to move much faster. The earlier understanding established a longer, 60-day period before comprehensive nuclear negotiations were due to begin. Tehran's latest proposal links the reopening of Hormuz directly to a seven-day timetable instead.

The full conditions attached to the seven-day proposal have not been publicly disclosed. Earlier Iranian statements have linked progress on Hormuz to an end to the US naval blockade, release of frozen Iranian funds, and implementation of commitments under the June memorandum. Araghchi said Iran was waiting for Washington to respond and would remain in New York over the weekend for that purpose.

How the June memorandum compares

A US official familiar with the negotiations said Washington and Tehran were engaged in positive and constructive discussions through mediators. The White House indicated the United States was not looking to rush into an agreement. Another US official said Washington believed it remained in a strong position regarding the Strait of Hormuz and therefore was not in a hurry.

Araghchi said it would be preferable for a deal to be reached before the US midterm elections in early November, though he added Iran was not in a hurry. President Masoud Pezeshkian took a different line, saying Iran's negotiating position would not depend on the US electoral calendar. Pezeshkian also told Fox News Iran was willing to dilute enriched uranium and accept international verification.

Washington's response so far

US Central Command reported that the blockade on ships entering or exiting Iranian ports, reinstated on July 14, had reached 122 total redirects as of Friday, up from 115 on Wednesday. A US official said nearly 40 million barrels of crude had been taken out through the strait under US military escort in the last 48 hours, a number equal to prewar levels.

A White House official separately said nearly 22 million barrels of oil had passed through the strait during one previous night. Separately, Bahrain led 80 nations in condemning Iran's attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, calling for the strait's immediate reopening without tolls. Whether Oman and Iran, as littoral states, could impose tolls or navigational fees has emerged as an open question in the negotiations.

Where the strait traffic stands

Iran has said it reached an agreement with Oman on a temporary route through the Strait of Hormuz and is prepared to register the details with the International Maritime Organization. Saudi Arabia had been expected to endorse the Oman-Iran route but reportedly pulled back amid anger over attacks by Iranian-backed Houthis on Saudi Arabia. Iran says it urged the Houthis to stop but does not control their decision-making.

Araghchi said Iran was prepared to begin implementing the proposal as soon as Washington accepted it, and that if acceptance came, the timetable could begin the following day. The strait would reopen after seven days, after which comprehensive negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme would start. Araghchi said he would remain in New York over the weekend awaiting a US response.