Abbas Araghchi: the offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in seven days still stands

Abbas Araghchi, the Islamic Republic's foreign minister, said in Baghdad on Sunday 18 October 2026 that Tehran's offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days is still on the table, and that if Washington accepts the Islamic Republic's conditions, the strait will open in six days and negotiations will resume on the seventh day. He made the remarks on the sidelines of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation meeting in the Iraqi capital.

According to Araghchi, the United States has raised "considerations" about the offer, which Tehran is examining. He again questioned Washington's sincerity, claiming that if the United States were sincere, the way to reopen the strait would be perfectly clear.

The Islamic Republic's conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz

The Islamic Republic first made this offer in early September, after the collapse of the temporary ceasefire with the United States. Tehran's seven-point list includes, among other things, lifting the naval blockade of Iran's ports, repealing US sanctions on oil exports and ending military conflict on all fronts in the region. Officials of the Islamic Republic had said last week that talks remained stalled because the United States had not responded to all seven conditions.

On the other side, Washington wants the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme on the agenda from the first stage of negotiations, while Tehran wants the first stage to deal only with reopening the strait and the security of shipping. JD Vance, the US vice president, had said earlier that the United States wants a long-term, verifiable commitment that the Islamic Republic will not rebuild its nuclear programme.

The Strait of Hormuz: hostage to Tehran's conditions

Araghchi's remarks in effect confirm that the Islamic Republic has tied the security of one of the world's most important energy passages to extracting concessions from the United States. Before the war, about one fifth of the world's oil and liquefied gas trade passed through the strait. The IRGC Navy had declared the strait "closed" on Saturday 17 October, while CENTCOM says shipping continues.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations has recorded 23 attacks on ships in the area since 23 September and says the real number may be higher, because many ships no longer report incidents. In the early hours of this same Sunday, a sea tug northeast of Khor Fakkan in the UAE was also hit by two unidentified projectiles and one person was injured.

So far there is no sign that the two sides have agreed on the conditions for reopening the strait, and the eight-month war continues to put pressure on global energy markets.

The Islamic Republic's foreign minister tied reopening the Strait of Hormuz to the lifting of the blockade and of oil sanctions.