Qatari mediators are preparing to present Washington with new ideas aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s foreign minister. The diplomatic effort comes as US President Donald Trump denies offering sanctions relief, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding attempts to end the conflict.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said late on Monday that discussions with Qatari representatives in New York had explored ways to fulfil Tehran’s conditions for reopening the waterway.
He expressed hope that an American response could arrive on Tuesday. That timetable reflected Iran’s expectations, rather than a confirmed deadline agreed by Washington.
Araghchi said contacts through Qatar and Pakistan had become more substantive following Iran’s latest proposal.
Washington disputes reports of concessions
Trump separately rejected reports that he was prepared to ease sanctions and release frozen Iranian funds in exchange for progress on nuclear issues.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran remained willing to discuss its nuclear programme, but would not accept coercion. Iran maintains that its nuclear activities are intended for peaceful purposes.
The statements leave a significant gap between willingness to negotiate and agreement on what either side would concede.
What Tehran is proposing
American and Iranian officials held separate discussions with mediators on Monday. Further negotiations are expected to examine an amended version of Iran’s seven-day proposal.
The framework envisages ending hostilities in Iran and Lebanon, lifting restrictions on Iranian oil, releasing frozen assets and removing the US blockade of Iranian ports.
Iran would then permit the reopening of Hormuz, alongside renewed nuclear negotiations.
Previous ceasefires reached in April and June quickly collapsed, underlining the difficulty of translating diplomatic commitments into sustained restraint.
A response is still awaited
The immediate development is the continuation of mediation despite conflicting public messages. It does not yet amount to a breakthrough.
The next indication of progress would be an official response clarifying which elements Washington might accept and what it would require in return.
Until then, the proposed timetable for reopening Hormuz remains conditional, with no confirmed agreement on implementation or the sequence of concessions.
Newshub Editorial in Asia – 29 September 2026
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