Iran Urges US to Accept Proposal to Reopen Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi states on Sunday that Tehran's offer to the United States to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days remains on the table.

Iran presented this proposal in mid-September after an interim ceasefire collapsed. Tehran acknowledged receiving a US response, but Iran’s security chief said last week that negotiations stalled because Washington failed to address all seven conditions for reopening the strait. Araqchi said Iran is reviewing US comments, but their proposal is still active. Iran's conditions include lifting the US blockade on its ports, removing US sanctions on its oil exports, and ending hostilities on all regional fronts.

If Washington accepts these conditions, the strait could reopen within six days, with talks resuming the following day. A central point of disagreement is Washington’s insistence on addressing Iran's nuclear program from the outset. US Vice President JD Vance said earlier this month that Iran must make a meaningful reduction in its uranium enrichment capacity to satisfy US demands and end the countries' eight-month war.

Tehran maintains that negotiations should initially focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and restoring security in the waterway. Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz carried about a fifth of the global trade in oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG). On Saturday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that two oil supertankers struck naval mines and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC Navy also declared the Strait of Hormuz closed on Saturday, prohibiting the passage of ships of various nationalities. These incidents follow a wave of attacks on tankers and cargo ships in recent weeks, with around two dozen vessels reportedly hit in the last two weeks, making October the worst period for shipping since the war's opening weeks. US Central Command said Iran sank the container ship GFS Pride on Wednesday.