Iran says it could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States agrees to conditions presented by Tehran through intermediaries, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has said.
Speaking on Thursday during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Araqchi said Iran had submitted a proposal for reopening the strategic waterway and that the conditions attached to the offer were not new.
The Minister, who met journalists as well as members of US policy research and analysis institutions, said the conditions were the same as those previously presented under the Islamabad agreement.
“These conditions are not new; they are the same ones that were previously presented in the Islamabad agreement.” He stated.
The Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Iran and Oman and connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, is one of the world's most important energy chokepoints.
Data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that an average of 20.7 million barrels of crude oil, condensate, and petroleum products passed through the strait each day in 2024.
That represented about 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption. In the first half of 2025, flows increased to an average of 20.9 million barrels per day.
The waterway is also important for global liquefied natural gas supplies. The EIA estimates that about 20% of global LNG trade passed through the Strait of Hormuz in 2024, with Qatar accounting for most of the shipments.
China, India and South Korea were among the largest destinations for LNG transported through the route.
Recent EIA data indicates that oil flows through the strait have fallen sharply during the current disruption.
Average flows were estimated at 14.9 million barrels per day in the first quarter of 2026 and 4.9 million barrels per day in the second quarter. LNG flows also fell from 7.4 billion cubic feet per day in the first quarter to 0.8 billion cubic feet per day in the second quarter.
Against that background, reopening the waterway would have implications for international energy markets and countries that depend on Gulf oil and gas shipments.
Araqchi also said Iran wanted an agreement to be implemented before the US midterm elections.
“Iran believes that it would be better for the agreement to be implemented before the US midterm elections,” while noting that US President Donald Trump had said an agreement could be reached after the November elections.
He further maintained that the timing of a possible agreement ultimately depended on Washington.
“The timing of reaching an agreement depends on the United States,” while again stressing that Iran's proposed conditions remained the same as those contained in the earlier agreement.
The reference to the Islamabad agreement relates to a memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States that was signed in June. The agreement provided for a cessation of military operations and included provisions concerning the Strait of Hormuz. According to reporting on the memorandum, Iran committed to allowing safe commercial passage through the waterway, while the US agreed to begin removing its naval blockade.
The current proposal therefore links the reopening of Hormuz to broader diplomatic and security arrangements between Tehran and Washington.
Recent reporting has indicated that Iran's proposal was conveyed to the United States through intermediaries, with Tehran seeking a reduction in military pressure and the lifting of restrictions affecting Iranian ports.
The two sides, however, have indicated different preferred timelines for a possible agreement. Iran wants the arrangement implemented before the US midterm elections, while Trump has suggested that a deal could come after the November vote.
For now, Araqchi says the decision rests with Washington. If the United States accepts Iran's conditions, Tehran says the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened within seven days.