Iran Offers Two-Day Hormuz Reopening If US Meets Its Demands

Two days is the new timeline Iran is discussing with Qatar to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but only if the United States first accepts Tehran’s demands. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Qatari talks had shortened the proposed time frame from five days to two. Reopening, he said, could then clear a path to negotiations with Washington. ^1,2

That two-day plan grew out of a broader proposal that mediators had been discussing for longer. Iran wants the United States to lift sanctions imposed after the Islamabad memorandum fell apart and reduce its military presence in the region. Tehran also wants exemptions allowing Iranian oil sales to resume and frozen funds to be released, including money held in Qatar. It also seeks recognition of a shipping route it developed with Oman, while other routes through the strait remain closed. ^1,9

The route matters because the strait links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and carries ships through a narrow passage. Iran’s terms make safe passage part of a larger bargain over sanctions, military forces and the course of the conflict. The proposal is not an agreed reopening: Washington has yet to accept the conditions, and Iran says the waterway stays closed until it does. Araghchi has also said Tehran sees no need for a meeting with US officials now. ^6,9

That refusal to meet does not close every diplomatic door. Araghchi has described a message from US Vice President JD Vance as a positive step, while saying Iranian officials are reviewing proposals from mediators on the nuclear issue. Qatar and Pakistan are continuing talks, but the immediate next step rests with Washington: decide whether to accept Tehran’s terms. Until then, the two-day clock has not started. ^6,11