Iran Awaits US Response on Seven-Day Roadmap to End Conflict

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi walks from the podium after speaking to the media during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters on September 25, 2026.

Iran has formally submitted a seven-day roadmap aimed at ending its ongoing conflict with the United States and is currently awaiting a response from Washington, according to Tehran's top diplomat. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi outlined the plan to reporters outside the United Nations Security Council on Friday, noting that the proposal had been transmitted to Washington through Qatari mediation. He stated that the seven-day timeline would commence immediately once the United States accepts the proposal.

Araghchi explained that initial steps would require four to five days, the Strait of Hormuz would reopen on the sixth day, and final talks with the US regarding mutually agreed subjects—specifically Iran’s nuclear programme—would begin on the seventh day.

The Offer and Conditions

Under the terms of the plan, Washington would lift its naval blockade on Iranian ports, waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales, release approximately $12bn in frozen Iranian assets, and observe a regional ceasefire covering both Lebanon and Yemen. In exchange, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which a significant portion of global oil and gas passed prior to the war, which has served as Tehran's primary leverage.

"The choice now rests with the United States," Araghchi stated, adding that Iran rejects coercion and will not surrender its sovereign rights under pressure. He expressed confidence that everything is prepared if the US demonstrates seriousness in reaching a deal.

Ending hostilities across the Middle East, including Yemen and Lebanon, forms a core part of Tehran's demands.

Parallels to a Previous Failed Deal

The new proposal seeks to conclude the war, which has now reached its seventh month. It closely mirrors a previous memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 following Qatari and Pakistani mediation, which had established a 60-day window for negotiations before collapsing within weeks.

Disputes over technical terms and control of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz ultimately derailed the earlier agreement, prompting US President Donald Trump to declare the deal finished in July following Iranian actions against vessels. Since then, the US has conducted sporadic strikes on Iranian territory and coastal areas.

Araghchi recently met with US President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Witkoff described the lengthy discussion as constructive and promising. Meanwhile, Iranian President Masozd Pezeshkian emphasized that ending the conflict is now a decision for Washington, while a White House official confirmed ongoing positive discussions through mediators.

Despite these diplomatic exchanges, regional analysts remain cautious. Cyrus Schayegh of the Geneva Graduate Institute suggested that fundamental positions have not shifted, as Iran seeks to retain its wartime leverage while Washington resists returning to the previous framework. Progress before the upcoming US midterm elections in November appears unlikely, though Araghchi indicated that reaching an agreement sooner would be preferable. Qatar's foreign minister also recently discussed de-escalation and renewed dialogue with Pezeshkian.