Iran's Seven-Day Plan to Reopen Strait of Hormuz Sparks Diplomatic Efforts

Iran has presented a seven-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and halt hostilities across the region, including in Lebanon. The proposal was made through Qatari mediators as US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the Middle East war at their summit.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran had conveyed a 'concrete seven-day plan' to Washington through Qatar, which would see the strait reopened and normal maritime passage restored within seven days if certain conditions are met. The conditions include the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports, the release of frozen Iranian funds, and the waiver of oil sanctions.

US officials confirmed that they were engaged in 'positive and constructive discussions' through mediators, but a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran would not compromise on its nuclear programme even if Washington accepted the peace proposal. The official stated that Iran would retain its rights, including uranium enrichment, and would not agree to ship highly enriched uranium out of the country.

Trump has repeatedly said that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. China's Xi urged the US and Iran to return to a June framework agreement that had resulted in a brief ceasefire and resume negotiations toward a broader settlement.