Iran Offers Seven-Day Deal to Reopen Hormuz Strait and Resume Nuclear Talks
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has proposed an accelerated deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume talks on its nuclear programme in seven days. The proposal, made at a private gathering on September 24, 2026, during the UN General Assembly in New York, would see the US lift its naval blockade and waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales.
The deal also calls for a ceasefire that includes Lebanon, which is seen as an attempt to ease tensions ahead of November's midterm elections. The proposal closely resembles the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached in June, but with a much faster timeline.
Trita Parsi, Executive Vice-President of the Quincy Institute think tank, who attended the meeting, said Araghchi suggested that a speedy agreement would help US President Donald Trump ahead of the elections. However, there are questions about whether hard-liners in Iran will accept compromises championed by moderates like President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Despite the proposal, it remains to be seen whether Trump will accept the deal or if Iranian hard-liners will support it. The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that 'if there's an opportunity to exchange ideas and messages, we will.'