Iran Proposes Seven-Day Plan to US, Offers Nuclear Concessions in Push to Reopen Hormuz

Iran has proposed a seven-day framework to the United States that could lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the resumption of negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said.

Under the proposal, Iran would reopen the strategic waterway at the end of the seventh day if Washington meets conditions put forward by Tehran. Nuclear talks would then resume, Araghchi said.

The foreign minister disclosed the proposal while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He said the plan had been transmitted to Washington through intermediaries.

“We have introduced a plan to the United States through the intermediators that if certain conditions are met, the Strait of Hormuz would be open on the end of the seventh day and talks would restart,” Araghchi was quoted as saying by The New York Times.

Araghchi also said Tehran would prefer an agreement to be reached before the US midterm elections in November.

The comments followed a Reuters report published on September 22 that cited a senior Iranian official as saying Tehran could reopen the Strait within seven days if Washington reduced military pressure and lifted its blockade of Iranian ports.

Reuters also reported that Iran had delivered a proposal to the United States through mediators on September 16 and that the Iranian delegation attending the UN General Assembly had authority to pursue diplomatic efforts.

Tehran has not publicly released the complete list of conditions attached to the seven-day proposal.

However, previous Iranian statements have connected the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to the removal of the US naval blockade, the release of frozen Iranian funds and the implementation of commitments contained in a June memorandum of understanding.

Al Jazeera reported on September 20 that Iran had demanded the lifting of the US naval blockade, the release of frozen Iranian assets, an end to US attacks and interference, as well as action on broader sanctions-related matters before returning to negotiations.

The report said the June MoU included provisions relating to the reopening of the Strait for shipping, sanctions, frozen Iranian funds and Tehran’s nuclear programme.

The new seven-day proposal is linked to that earlier framework but is not the same agreement. Araghchi has described the latest initiative as broadly similar to the June arrangement, while Tehran continues to call on Washington to fulfil its commitments under the MoU.

Reuters reported that Iranian officials viewed the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive diplomacy, but wanted Washington to demonstrate its intentions through concrete measures.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has meanwhile indicated that Tehran is prepared to make concessions over its nuclear programme as part of efforts to resolve the dispute.

In an interview with Fox News, Pezeshkian rejected the suggestion that Iran was seeking to develop a nuclear weapon.

Asked whether Tehran wanted a nuclear bomb, he responded: “Not at all. Not at all.”

The Iranian president referred to a religious prohibition against nuclear weapons that has previously been cited by Iran’s leadership.

Pezeshkian also said Iran was willing to dilute its enriched uranium and accept international verification of its nuclear activities.

“We said we’re willing to dilute them. It’s not a big deal. We are willing to submit ourselves to verification,” he said.

He did not provide details on the enrichment level Iran would accept or specify the precise scope of any future international inspections.

Iran has repeatedly denied that its nuclear programme is designed to produce nuclear weapons, while Washington has maintained that Tehran must not acquire such weapons.

Pezeshkian said the June agreement remained a possible foundation for renewed negotiations.

“We did reach an agreement with your president, that agreement was signed, and based on that, we are willing and still wish to move forward,” he told Fox News.

The Iranian president accused Washington of abandoning the diplomatic process and said US military action had disrupted negotiations. He described Iran’s subsequent military response as self-defence.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States of killing Iran’s supreme leader, scientists, military commanders and government officials. Those claims were presented as allegations by the Iranian president and were not independently established during the interview.

Araghchi similarly accused Washington of military aggression during a meeting with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in New York.

According to the Iranian foreign minister, Tehran has already communicated the conditions it wants addressed before diplomatic negotiations can resume. He argued that regional stability would require an end to what Iran describes as US intervention and aggression.

Araghchi also criticised European governments, including Germany, accusing them of failing to adequately respond to alleged US violations of international law while holding Iran responsible for instability around the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran seeks agreement before US midterm elections

Araghchi said Tehran would prefer to reach an agreement before the US midterm elections in November.

Pezeshkian, however, said Iran’s position would not be determined by the American electoral timetable.

“If the current American government, within international legal frameworks, wishes to reach an agreement, fine. If not, before the elections or after the elections, what difference does it make for us,” he said.

The Associated Press reported that US President Donald Trump, during his UN General Assembly address, accused Iran of delaying a potential settlement over the conflict and the Strait of Hormuz until after the US midterm elections.

Trump nevertheless said he believed an agreement with Tehran remained possible.

Al Jazeera also reported that Trump said discussions with Iran were continuing and that he expected a settlement could eventually be reached.

According to Al Jazeera, US and Iranian representatives were engaged in mediated discussions in New York over ending the conflict and reopening the Strait. Tehran has linked progress to the lifting of the US naval blockade and the release of Iranian assets.

The precise conditions attached to Iran’s seven-day proposal remain undisclosed.

Reuters reported on September 24 that US and Iranian negotiators were examining a phased arrangement under which Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for Washington lifting its economic blockade. However, the two sides remained divided over which steps should be taken first.