Strait of Hormuz can be reopened in 7 days if conditions are met: Iranian FM

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Friday that his country has conveyed a plan to the United States under which the Strait of Hormuz could reopen within seven days if necessary conditions are met, Reuters reports.

Speaking to reporters at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York, Araghchi said the seven-day timeline will start as soon as Washington accepts it.

"Iran has conveyed to the United States, through Qatar a concrete seven-day plan. If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened and normal maritime passage restored within seven days. The choice now rests with the United States. Iran does not accept coercion, threats or intimidation, and Iran will not surrender its sovereign rights under pressure," he said.

Under the plan, the United States would need to take certain actions that Iran believes may take four or five days, said Araghchi, adding that on day six, the strait would be open. And on day seven, the talks with the U.S. will be started for the final deal on mutually agreed subjects.

All the actions that the United States should take are not new. They are all already included in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that the heads of state of the two countries signed in June, he said.

If there is seriousness in the U.S. side to come to a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, everything is now prepared, said Araghchi.

On June 18, the United States and Iran signed an MoU on ending the war in the region on all fronts, including Lebanon. Under the MoU, they were scheduled to hold negotiations within 60 days, which ended on Aug 17, to reach a final agreement, but the fate of the talks remains unclear following a series of recent escalations between the two countries.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a vital global choke point, handling roughly 20 percent of the world's petroleum supply. Recent disruptions along the narrow waterway have sent energy prices surging, fueling global inflation and raising the economic stakes for a diplomatic resolution.