Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that Tehran was reviewing Washington’s response to its proposed “seven-day plan” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and would reply within the next few days.
“The negotiation process is still ongoing, and messages are being exchanged through mediators,” Araghchi said, according to Iran’s official IRNA news agency.
The proposal calls for Washington to take agreed steps during the first four or five days, allowing normal navigation through the strategic waterway to resume on the 6th day and negotiations on a broader agreement to begin on the 7th. Iran’s demands include an end to hostilities, the release of frozen Iranian assets, the lifting of restrictions on Iranian oil exports and the termination of the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The diplomatic exchange comes as US President Donald Trump said Washington was holding “productive discussions” with Tehran and would not resume attacks on Iran before the November 3 US midterm elections.
However, the US blockade remains in place, and Washington has imposed fresh sanctions targeting Iran’s oil-shipping networks.
The outcome, however, will depend on whether Washington and Tehran can reconcile their competing demands over maritime access, sanctions, security and Iran’s nuclear programme.