A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday that Iran could reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States eases military pressure and lifts what Tehran describes as a blockade of Iranian ports.
The official said Washington would first need to formally signal its willingness to resolve the conflict through diplomacy and agree on a timeline for negotiations. Iran's delegation attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York has, according to the official, full authority to pursue efforts to revive diplomatic engagement with the United States.
The reported proposal was conveyed to Washington through mediators on September 16. Tehran said the UN General Assembly provides an opportunity for discussions through intermediary countries over the terms of a possible agreement to end hostilities.
The development came after Iran's military command warned that any renewed US military operation, reportedly supported by regional countries, could trigger a response from Tehran.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian travelled to New York to attend the UN General Assembly. The senior official said Pezeshkian was not expected to hold a direct meeting with US President Donald Trump, although discussions through mediators remained possible.
Iranian Reports Dispute Seven-Day Reopening Claim
The reported offer was subsequently challenged by Iranian sources. Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency said reports that Tehran had agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days in exchange for an easing of US military pressure and the lifting of the port blockade were inaccurate and baseless.
This creates a direct discrepancy between the account attributed to a senior Iranian official by Reuters and Kyodo News and the later denial reported by Fars.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical global energy corridor. Reuters reported that only two commodity vessels crossed the waterway on Monday, compared with a pre-conflict average of about 125 large commercial vessels a day.
The competing statements leave the status of any formal Iranian offer to reopen the waterway uncertain, while diplomatic contacts continue around the UN General Assembly.
