Iran Says It Can Reopen Strait of Hormuz Within Seven Days

Iran can reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States eases military pressure and lifts its blockade on Iranian ports, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday.

The official said Washington would first need to formally declare that it wants to resolve the crisis through diplomacy and agree with Tehran on a timeline for moving the process forward.

Iran is also prepared to revive diplomatic talks with the United States, the official said. The Iranian delegation attending the United Nations General Assembly is currently in New York and has full authority to pursue renewed diplomacy.

According to the official, Tehran delivered a proposal to Washington through mediators on September 16. He said the UN General Assembly represents an important opportunity for the United States to return to diplomacy, provided Washington takes tangible steps.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian left Tehran for New York on Tuesday, but he will not meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the UN headquarters, the official said. Discussions on an agreement to end hostilities could instead take place through mediators in New York.

The comments come amid heightened tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a major global energy shipping route. On Sunday, Iran's military central command said it had been informed that the United States was preparing to resume military operations with support from regional countries. Tehran warned that any new escalation would trigger retaliation “without limitations and considerations.”

The Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran would welcome renewed diplomacy if Washington eases military pressure and lifts the blockade. Under those conditions, he said, Iran could reopen the strategic waterway within seven days.

Source: Reuters