In short
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on 26 September that Tehran had sent Washington a proposal, delivered via Qatar, to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days.
- The proposal refers to conditions in a 14-point memorandum of understanding signed by the US and Iran on 18 June, which collapsed when both sides resumed strikes.
- A US official told the BBC that Washington was in no rush, and the Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported that President Donald Trump had rejected the deal.
- About 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas used to pass through the Strait of Hormuz; Kpler data cited by Reuters shows a recent 10-day average of about 18 transits a day.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told CBS News that Iran would now allow UN nuclear inspectors into the country.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said on 26 September that Tehran has proposed a deal to the United States, delivered via Qatar, to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days. Speaking at the United Nations in New York, Araghchi said the reopening depends on conditions set out in a June memorandum of understanding. The US has not issued an official response.
What did Iran propose?
Araghchi said the strait could be reopened “if the necessary conditions are met”, and that these conditions were contained in the memorandum of understanding signed in June. “The actions that the United States should take are not new. They are all already in the MOU,” he said. “The choice now rests with the United States.”
How has the United States responded?
A US official told the BBC that positive discussions were taking place through mediators, including about nuclear issues, and that Washington was “in a very strong position with control of the Strait of Hormuz, so we are not in a rush”. The US has not delivered an official response to the proposal. The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported that President Donald Trump had rejected the deal and had told staff a renewed bombing campaign was likely.
What was in the June memorandum of understanding?
The 14-point memorandum of understanding, signed on 18 June, was designed to bring about a ceasefire and at least partly reopen the Strait of Hormuz. It said Iran would never have a nuclear weapon and that the US, Iran and their allies would end military operations on “all fronts”. It covered the end of a US naval blockade, sanctions relief, safe passage for commercial vessels and talks with Oman on future shipping arrangements. It collapsed when both sides resumed strikes.
Will Iran allow UN nuclear inspections?
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that Iran would now allow UN nuclear inspectors into the country, and rejected claims that Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon. “If they wish to come in and have inspections, we can reach accords and agreements vis-à-vis that specific topic within the negotiations,” he said. Pezeshkian said the ceasefire process “will begin from the very day they accept it”.
How much oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz?
About 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas used to pass through the strait before the war, and its closure has caused wide swings in energy prices, with oil topping $105 a barrel as borrowing costs rose. Shipping data from the commodities analytics firm Kpler, cited by Reuters, shows a recent 10-day average of about 18 transits a day, with daily numbers falling as low as nine vessels.
What is happening around the Red Sea?
Yemen’s Houthis, allied to Iran, have intensified attacks aimed at disrupting Saudi oil exports. The group seized stretches of the Red Sea coast this month, including the port of Mokha, which overlooks the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said on Saturday it had intercepted two ballistic missiles and drones launched by the Houthis towards Saudi Arabia. US media reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has requested military support from Trump.
What happens next?
The closure has increased pressure on Trump to find a way of ending the conflict. Trump said at the UN General Assembly this week that he believed an Iran deal, which has so far eluded him, would come right after Congressional elections in November.
Frequently asked questions
What has Iran offered the United States?
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if conditions in a June memorandum of understanding are met, and that the plan was delivered to Washington via Qatar.
Has the US accepted the Iranian proposal?
The US has not delivered an official response. The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported that President Donald Trump had rejected the deal and had told staff a renewed bombing campaign was likely.
What was the June memorandum of understanding?
It was a 14-point agreement signed on 18 June, meant to bring about a ceasefire and at least partly reopen the Strait of Hormuz. It said Iran would never have a nuclear weapon and covered the end of a US naval blockade, sanctions relief and safe passage for commercial vessels.
How much oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz before the war?
About 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas used to pass through the strait. Shipping data from the analytics firm Kpler, cited by Reuters, shows a recent 10-day average of about 18 transits a day.
With reporting from BBC News.
Stock image, not from the events described. Globe World — Jo%E3o%20Silas / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)