Iran said on Monday that it was ready to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days if the United States agrees to its conditions. Tehran had earlier proposed a one-week timeline.
Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said: “The possibility of implementing this plan in two days is another indication of Iran’s good-faith approach.”
He added: “We have stated that, if Iran’s demands are met, it would be possible to restore security to the Strait of Hormuz and resume the negotiating process within a short period.”
Baqaei said an exchange of messages with the United States was ongoing through mediators. He said “everything depends” on the US side accepting the Iranian demands.
“Only then can we discuss the subsequent stages.”
Iran has claimed control over Hormuz, a vital energy conduit for shipping, since the Middle East war broke out in late February.
It regularly targets vessels that try to cross the strait without its authorisation. In retaliation, the United States has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
In September, Iran first proposed a seven-day plan, which it conveyed to the US through Qatar. Under that plan, Tehran would have reopened Hormuz on the sixth day after the US met Iranian demands.
The demands include ending the Middle East war on all fronts, unfreezing Iranian assets abroad, lifting sanctions on Iran’s oil sector and ending the US naval blockade.
In an interview with Al Jazeera released on Sunday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Washington must accept a new route agreed between Iran and Oman for transit through the strait.
He said the US must also remove sanctions imposed in recent months and reduce the number of American troops in the region.
Since August, Washington has rolled out a fresh set of sanctions, part of what it called “economic asphyxiation” of Iran.
In recent days, the United States and Israel have also stepped up threats to renew attacks on Iran, amid crucial elections in both countries.
On Saturday, US President Donald Trump said he still had to “take care” of one or two targets. These include Pickaxe mountain in central Iran, a suspected nuclear site that Tehran denies is such a facility.
Speaking at a foreign ministry briefing on Monday, Baqaei warned: “Any act of aggression against Iran, any military attack against Iran, by whatever means, will be met with a powerful, immediate and comprehensive response from us.”
