CAIRO: Mediators were working Monday to bring Iran and the United States closer to a deal aimed at ending their war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, three officials told The Associated Press.
The indirect talks were expected to resume as the conflict entered its eighth month. The war has caused widespread economic hardship and disrupted shipping through the narrow waterway, one of the world’s most important routes for global trade and energy supplies.
The proposed agreement would first reopen the strait and end the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. Sanctions would then be removed in stages, according to two officials familiar with the discussions, reported by The Arab News.
Under a draft proposal, shipping would resume under a separate arrangement Iran has been negotiating with Oman, which lies across the strait. The plan would allow vessels to pass without paying tolls, a condition Tehran has repeatedly demanded.
The officials said the United States had not formally rejected the proposal, despite President Donald Trump’s remarks over the weekend that he had turned down Tehran’s latest offer. They suggested his comments may have been part of a negotiating strategy.
Washington is also seeking concessions from Iran on its nuclear programme, including permission for international inspectors to enter the country, a third official said. The officials spoke anonymously because they were discussing confidential diplomatic talks.
The mediators reported cautious signs of movement. One official said both sides had sent positive signals, while another described the progress as “slight.” A third said negotiators were trying to soften the positions of both governments.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi remained in New York and said he was waiting for further messages from the mediators. Qatar has been helping conduct the negotiations.
Iran’s latest proposal calls for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen within seven days of U.S. acceptance. The conflict has pushed up oil prices, with Brent crude trading above $108 a barrel, while sanctions and the blockade have sharply restricted Iran’s oil exports.
