Tehran/Doha: Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway vital to global energy transport and trade, can be reopened within two days if the United States fully accepts Tehran’s preconditions.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the reopening would follow immediately once Washington agrees to meet Iran’s security-related and financial demands. Qatar-mediated back-channel talks between the two countries are reportedly progressing rapidly and in a positive atmosphere.
Araghchi said Iran had initially proposed a five-day timeline for reopening the sea route. After continuous consultations with Qatari representatives, Tehran agreed to shorten the implementation period to two days, he said.
The Strait of Hormuz carries a significant share of the world’s oil and natural gas shipments. Amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf, Iran temporarily closed or restricted traffic through the waterway, disrupting energy supplies to several countries and pushing international oil prices sharply higher. Qatar has been playing an active mediating role in efforts to resolve the standoff.
With the Qatar-led negotiations reportedly nearing a conclusion, the international community has expressed cautious optimism. Given the strait’s importance to the global economy and energy security, the outcome now depends largely on Washington’s response.
Both sides have voiced hope that the talks will conclude soon and that the strait will be reopened.