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Illustrative image: Cargo ships travel across the sea as Iran urges the United States to accept a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, while disputes over sanctions and Iran's nuclear programme remain unresolved. |
Iran Urges US to Accept Proposal to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
DUBAI — October 18, 2026
Iran has urged the United States to accept its proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy shipping route, within seven days. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday that Tehran's offer remained available, although negotiations between the two countries had made little progress.
Araqchi said the United States had sent comments on the proposal that Iran was reviewing. Speaking to Iranian media while visiting Baghdad for a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, he argued that reopening the waterway depended on Washington agreeing to Iran's conditions.
Iran submitted the proposal in mid-September after an interim ceasefire collapsed. Tehran later confirmed that it had received a US response, but Iran's security chief said last week that talks had stalled because Washington had not addressed all seven conditions set by Iran.
Among Tehran's demands are the removal of the US blockade on Iranian ports, the lifting of American sanctions on Iranian oil exports and an end to hostilities across regional fronts. Araqchi said the strait could reopen within six days if Washington accepted the conditions, with negotiations resuming the following day.
A major disagreement remains over Iran's nuclear programme. Washington wants the issue addressed from the beginning of negotiations, while Tehran says the initial focus should be reopening the Strait of Hormuz and restoring security in the waterway.
US Vice President JD Vance said earlier in October that Iran would need to make a meaningful reduction in its uranium enrichment capacity to meet US demands and bring the eight-month war between the countries to an end. Uranium enrichment is a process that can produce material for civilian nuclear energy but, at higher levels, can also be used in nuclear weapons programmes.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is one of the world's most important routes for energy shipments. Before the war, about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade passed through the waterway, making any disruption a concern for energy markets and countries that depend on imported fuel.
For now, Iran's proposal remains under discussion, with Tehran reviewing Washington's comments. The two sides have yet to resolve their differences over sanctions, regional hostilities and the nuclear issue, leaving the proposed reopening dependent on further agreement.
