Iran Proposes Reopening Strait of Hormuz Within Six Days

Iran has told the Trump administration it will reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping within six days if the United States lifts sanctions on Iranian oil exports, ends fighting "on all fronts" including in Lebanon, and releases a portion of Iran's frozen assets, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said, according to The Guardian. Nuclear talks would start the day after the strait reopens, he said.

What Is Iran Proposing to Washington?

Araghchi, speaking to reporters in New York, said Tehran has "introduced a plan to the US through the mediators that if certain conditions are met, the strait will be open within seven days and talks will start." He said the conditions are not new demands but restate terms already in a memorandum of understanding that Trump signed with Iran in Islamabad in June. Iran also says it has reached a separate arrangement with Oman for a temporary shipping route through the strait, which Araghchi called a "done deal," and that Tehran is prepared to file the route's details with the International Maritime Organisation.

What Would the US Have to Give in Return?

Iran's three conditions, as laid out by Araghchi, are a lift on sanctions covering its oil exports, an end to military action across all fronts including Lebanon, and the release of some of Iran's frozen assets. Araghchi said he has briefed China on the proposal and that Beijing "fully supported" it. The Guardian reports the White House had not publicly responded to the offer as of Thursday.

Why Does the Strait of Hormuz Matter to Oil Markets?

The strait is the narrow waterway separating Iran from Oman and the United Arab Emirates, and it is the only sea route out of the Persian Gulf for oil tankers. Araghchi framed reopening it as removing "the chokehold on the world economy," language that underscores why traders and shippers are watching the six-day timeline closely. The Guardian's report does not include current tanker volumes or price data for the route.

Why Did Saudi Arabia Pull Back From Endorsing the Route?

Saudi Arabia had been expected to back the Oman-Iran shipping arrangement last week but held off, partly out of anger that Iran-backed Houthi forces had resumed attacks on Saudi territory amid a separate dispute over Yemen, according to the Guardian's account. Iran says it has urged the Houthis to halt those strikes but does not control the group's operational decisions.

What Happens Next in the Nuclear Talks?

The proposal is designed to speed up the sequence set out in the June memorandum of understanding, moving nuclear negotiations forward faster than the original timeline contemplated. Araghchi said Iran is now waiting on a formal American response before the clock on the six-day window can be considered active.

Glossary

Memorandum of understanding (MOU): A signed but non-binding document outlining agreed steps between parties — in this case, the framework the US and Iran signed in Islamabad in June that underpins the current proposal.

Strait of Hormuz: The shipping channel between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula that connects Persian Gulf oil producers to open ocean routes.