Iran says it can reopen the Straight of Hormuz within seven days if Washington eases military pressure and lifts port blockades.
A senior Iranian official delivered the proposal as world leaders gathered in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
The official said Iran transmitted its latest proposal to Washington through intermediaries on September 16, according to Reuters.
The Iranian offer comes after months of war, maritime disruption, sanctions, airstrikes, and mounting pressure on global energy markets.
Washington has maintained a blockade targeting Iranian ports while American forces continue operating throughout the Persian Gulf region.
Iran, meanwhile, has restricted shipping through Hormuz, the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with global markets.
Before the war, roughly one-fifth of globally traded oil and gas moved through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Iranian official said Washington must first publicly and formally commit to resolving the confrontation through diplomacy.
“The UN General Assembly is a golden opportunity for the US to return to diplomacy,” the Iranian official said.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian traveled to New York Tuesday but is not expected to meet President Donald Trump.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio nevertheless said Washington remains open to talks if negotiations could produce meaningful results.
Rubio said engagement is worthwhile “especially if it has the prospects of leading to something positive” for American objectives.
Trump used his United Nations address Tuesday to demand tougher international economic pressure against Tehran from other nations.
“I call on all nations to help to enforce the complete economic isolation of Iran,” Trump told world leaders.
Trump also said he believes an agreement could emerge after November’s United States midterm elections.
He accused Tehran of delaying negotiations while waiting to see how Republicans perform in those congressional contests.
Trump simultaneously urged Iran to fully reopen Hormuz and return to negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.
The president said he faces “a big decision” over whether diplomacy or overwhelming military force ultimately ends the confrontation.
Iran has also warned that renewed American military operations would trigger retaliation “without limitations and considerations.”
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf separately declared that Tehran would not surrender to American pressure.
“Trump must understand that he cannot impose his power on the Iranian people and its armed forces,” Qalibaf said.
Regional governments are watching closely because several Gulf states host major American military installations targeted during the conflict.
Trump planned talks Tuesday with leaders from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Those governments want commercial shipping restored while remaining wary of arrangements that could expand Iranian influence over regional security.
Qatar has promoted a broader security framework intended to include Iran and Arab Gulf states under mutual guarantees.
Saudi Arabia has simultaneously faced growing pressure from Iran-aligned Houthi forces advancing in Yemen near crucial Red Sea shipping routes.
Those developments have complicated alternatives to Hormuz by threatening transportation around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Saudi Arabia restarted its East-West Pipeline Tuesday, offering another route for some oil exports toward the Red Sea.
Reuters reported the pipeline had been shut after attacks Riyadh blamed on Iranian-aligned militants operating from Iraq.
The Trump administration has paired military pressure with an economic campaign designed to further isolate Iran from global commerce.
Tehran’s latest proposal does not itself constitute an agreement, and Washington has not announced acceptance of Iran’s conditions.
The current opening therefore represents another diplomatic possibility rather than confirmation that the seven-month conflict is nearing resolution.
For global markets, reopening Hormuz could ease shipping disruptions, although any lasting impact depends on security conditions and implementation.
Iran calls that setting a “golden opportunity,” while Trump continues demanding economic isolation and preserving the possibility of military escalation.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
