Iran has presented the United States with a seven-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 25. The proposal, passed to Washington through Qatari mediators earlier this week, would reimplement the framework of the June 17 memorandum of understanding that briefly eased the conflict before collapsing. "If certain conditions are met, the Strait of Hormuz would be open on the end of the seventh day and talks would restart," Araghchi said.
Under the plan, hostilities would end across all fronts within seven days, including in Lebanon and Gaza. The US would waive sanctions on Iranian oil exports, release frozen Iranian assets estimated at a minimum of $12 billion, and lift its naval blockade on Iran. On day seven, the strait would reopen and talks on Iran's nuclear programme would begin. Araghchi said Iran would put the plan into effect the moment Washington accepted it. "The moment they accept this plan, from the next day, this timetable can start, and after seven days, the strait will be open," he said.
The new proposal mirrors the structure of the June 17 MoU, which granted Iran a 60-day window during which it would allow ships to pass through the strait without tolls while both sides negotiated a ceasefire. That agreement broke down, and the strait has remained largely shut to commercial traffic ever since. Araghchi did not detail what specific preconditions Iran now expects Washington to meet before the seven-day clock starts, nor how either side would verify compliance during the period. The absence of verification mechanics and the vagueness of Washington's obligations remain the most significant gaps in the proposal.
Obstacles Between Washington and Tehran
The core obstacle is sequencing. Iran wants the strait opened first, with nuclear negotiations to follow afterward. The US has insisted on a comprehensive package addressing all issues — oil, sanctions, frozen assets, and the nuclear programme — simultaneously. This divergence was the main reason the June MoU unraveled, and it has not narrowed in the three months since.
Araghchi met US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner on Tuesday in talks mediated by Qatar. The Iranian foreign minister described the exchange as productive and said messages continued to pass between the sides. But the US has stopped short of calling the proposal a breakthrough. Analysts noted that Iran's public framing of the offer — suggesting it may be the only opportunity before November's midterm elections — is itself a negotiating tactic aimed at leveraging US domestic political pressure over energy prices.
Oil Markets and Political Pressure
The prospect of a deal has already moved crude markets. Oil prices declined on September 25 following reports of the ongoing negotiations. Brent crude had fallen in five consecutive sessions before the announcement, reflecting growing expectations of a diplomatic resolution. High energy prices remain a political vulnerability for the Trump administration ahead of the midterms, with gasoline prices near record levels and the Hormuz closure disrupting roughly a fifth of global oil flows that transited the strait before the conflict began in February.
The strait's closure has forced tankers to take longer routes around the Cape of Good Hope, adding weeks to delivery times and inflating freight costs. Any reopening would release significant supply into the market and likely push Brent below $90 a barrel within weeks, analysts say. But the timeline remains uncertain: even if both sides agree, restarting shipping through a waterway that has been militarized for seven months requires coordination with Oman, insurance underwriters, and the major oil traders who have rerouted their fleets.
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