Strait of Hormuz talks between Iran and the United States entered a new phase on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, when Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Qatari mediators in New York to discuss a plan to reopen the waterway, according to Al Jazeera. A U.S. official told the outlet the indirect discussions are “positive and constructive,” but that there will be no deal to end the war unless Iran’s nuclear program is addressed.
Key facts
- Araghchi met Qatari mediators in New York on Monday, Sept. 28, and said they would carry ideas to the U.S. side (Al Jazeera).
- Iran’s plan, announced Friday at the U.N. General Assembly, asks the U.S. to release frozen Iranian funds, lift sanctions and end its naval blockade of Iranian ports (Al Jazeera).
- President Donald Trump rejected the plan on Saturday, calling it “unacceptable” (Al Jazeera).
- Before the war, the strait handled roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas supplies; oil prices have risen above $100 a barrel (Al Jazeera).
- Middle East crude exports rebounded to 12.8 million barrels per day in September, versus 18.8 million in February, per Reuters citing Kpler (via Al Jazeera).
Strait of Hormuz Talks: What Is on the Table
Araghchi said Iran’s proposal calls for the release of frozen funds, sanctions relief and an end to the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. He said those steps could be completed within four or five days, allowing the strait to reopen and negotiations on a final agreement, including on Iran’s nuclear program, to begin by the seventh day, per Al Jazeera. We covered the plan when it was unveiled in our report on Iran’s seven-day roadmap to end the U.S. war.
Speaking to Iranian state media, Araghchi described the meetings as part of an existing exchange of messages through Qatari and Pakistani mediators that had taken “a more serious form” since Iran submitted its proposal. He said he hoped to receive Washington’s final response by Tuesday and that he would fly to Tehran within hours rather than wait in New York.
Where the U.S. and Iran Still Disagree
The U.S. official who spoke to Al Jazeera said Trump is willing to relieve sanctions and release Iran’s frozen funds in exchange for progress on nuclear issues. “Iran has indicated they are flexible on the nuclear issues, but the sides still remain apart on the timing of the commitments and who takes which steps first,” the official said.
The official also voiced skepticism, saying Iran broke a memorandum of understanding signed in June by firing on commercial vessels. Tehran denies that and says it was Washington that broke its commitments by failing to halt Israel’s attacks on Lebanon and by seeking alternate shipping routes through the strait, according to Al Jazeera.
Why Is the Strait of Hormuz Closed? What to Know
According to Al Jazeera, Iran closed the strait shortly after the United States and Israel launched their offensive on Feb. 28, and Iranian attacks on vessels since then have sharply curtailed shipping. Some ships have used a U.S. military-supervised route hugging Oman’s coast, traveling at night with tracking systems off, the outlet reported. Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, said Saturday that American forces had assisted 2,000 transits and more than 1 billion barrels of oil in recent months.
The U.S. has also imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and threatened secondary sanctions against airports and companies that do business with Iranian airlines. Al Jazeera reported that the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Oman have already cancelled related flights.
Oil Prices and Shipping: The Numbers
Reuters, citing data from the maritime intelligence firm Kpler, reported that crude exports from major Middle East producers reached 12.8 million barrels per day in September, the highest since the war began but well below the 18.8 million exported in February, as relayed by Al Jazeera. Oil prices have risen above $100 a barrel, the outlet said.
Who Is Mediating and What Comes Next?
Just Security’s Sept. 30 briefing, citing Axios, said Qatari mediator Ali al-Thawadi met Araghchi and then U.S. envoy Jared Kushner, and that efforts have made little progress, with Qatari officials growing frustrated because neither side is willing to budge. That characterization is based on unnamed sources in the Axios report. Trump said Monday that “we’re going to win,” according to Al Jazeera, and told reporters, per Reuters via Just Security, that he does not know whether Iran will “give up yet.”
In Tehran, Rear Adm. Habibollah Sayyari insisted the strait remains closed, Al Jazeera reported. For earlier context, see our coverage of Iran’s response after Trump rejected the Hormuz plan and of President Masoud Pezeshkian’s U.N. speech. Anadolu Agency’s Sept. 29 briefing also noted the expected U.S. reply. We have not seen a confirmed final U.S. response in the coverage reviewed as of Wednesday morning.
FAQ
Is the Strait of Hormuz open right now? Iranian military officials say it remains closed, per Al Jazeera, though some vessels have transited via a U.S.-supervised route near Oman and Middle East crude exports partly recovered in September.
What does Iran want in the Hormuz talks? Iran’s plan asks the U.S. to release frozen funds, lift sanctions and end the blockade of Iranian ports, according to Araghchi.
What does the U.S. want? A U.S. official said there will be no agreement unless Iran’s nuclear program is addressed, and that Trump would ease sanctions and release funds in exchange for progress on it.