Iran has formally submitted a seven-day roadmap to end its conflict with the United States and is awaiting a response from Washington, according to Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. He detailed the plan to reporters outside the United Nations Security Council on September 25, stating it had been conveyed to the US through Qatar. The timeline would commence once the US accepts the proposal.
Araghchi indicated that initial steps would take four to five days, with the Strait of Hormuz reopening on the sixth day, and talks with the US beginning on the seventh day regarding Iran's nuclear program. The plan includes the US lifting its naval blockade of Iranian ports, waiving sanctions on Iranian oil sales, releasing approximately $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets, and observing a ceasefire in the region, including Lebanon and Yemen.
In exchange, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route for global oil and gas trade. Araghchi emphasized that the decision now lies with the United States, asserting that Iran will not yield to coercion or threats.
The proposal aims to conclude the ongoing war that has lasted for seven months and reportedly aligns with a memorandum of understanding signed between Tehran and Washington on June 17, which collapsed shortly after due to disputes over shipping control.
Araghchi met with US envoy Steve Witkoff on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, with Witkoff describing the meeting as lengthy and expressing hope for constructive outcomes. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that the decision to end the war rests with the US. A White House official mentioned that the Trump administration is engaged in positive discussions through mediators.
Cyrus Schayegh from the Geneva Graduate Institute noted that Iran aims to maintain its leverage gained during the conflict, while the US is hesitant to return to the previous framework. Progress on the new deal before the US midterm elections in November appears unlikely, although Araghchi expressed a preference for reaching an agreement beforehand. Qatar's foreign minister discussed de-escalation and conditions for renewed dialogue with Pezeshkian on the same day.