Iran says it awaits US response on seven-day roadmap to end war

Iran has formally submitted a seven-day roadmap to end its war with the United States and is now awaiting Washington's response, according to Tehran's top diplomat.

Key points

• Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi detailed the plan to reporters outside the United Nations Security Council on Friday, saying it had been conveyed to Washington through Qatar.
• Araghchi met for discussions on Tuesday with Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
• Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian informed Fox News this week that ending the war was now up to Washington.
• Ending all hostilities in the Middle East, including in Yemen and Lebanon, was reportedly among Tehran's demands.
• A White House official informed CNN the Trump administration was having "positive and constructive discussions through the mediators".

"The seven-day timeline will start as soon as the United States accepts this plan, " he remarked.

According to Araghchi, initial steps would take four to five days, the Strait of Hormuz would reopen on the sixth day and "on day seven, the talks with the US will be started for the final deal on mutually agreed subjects", referring to Iran's nuclear programme. The offer and its conditions.

Under the plan, Washington would lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports, waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales, release an estimated $12bn in frozen Iranian assets and observe a ceasefire covering the region, including Lebanon and Yemen.

In return, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's traded oil and gas passed before the war, and which has become Tehran's main point of leverage. "The choice now rests with the United States, " Araghchi remarked.

"Iran does not accept coercion, threats or intimidation, and Iran will not surrender its sovereign rights under pressure. I can tell you if there is seriousness on the US side to come to a accord and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, everything is now prepared."

Ending all hostilities in the Middle East, including in Yemen and Lebanon, was reportedly among Tehran's demands. A plan that echoes a collapsed accord.

In practice, the proposal, which intends to end the war that has entered its seventh month, closely mirrors a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Tehran and Washington on June 17, after Qatari and Pakistani mediation. It set a 60-day window for negotiations but collapsed within weeks.

As Iran began firing on vessels it accused of ignoring its authorisation rules, prompting US President Donald Trump to declare the accord "over" in July, technical and vague terms over control of shipping through Hormuz led to disputes.

In practice, the US has since sporadically struck Iranian territory and coastal areas in response.

Araghchi met for discussions on Tuesday with Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Witkoff remarked the gathering was "lengthy" and that he hoped the discussions would "prove constructive and promising."

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian informed Fox News this week that ending the war was now up to Washington. "It's America that must choose whether it wants to end this or not, " he remarked.

Meanwhile, a White House official informed CNN the Trump administration was having "positive and constructive discussions through the mediators". Analysts, nevertheless, remain sceptical.

While Washington resists returning to the June framework, "Basically nothing has really changed, " remarked Cyrus Schayegh of the Geneva Graduate Institute, arguing Iran wants to keep the leverage it gained during the war.

Though Araghchi noted Friday it "would be better" to reach one beforehand, it appears unlikely that the new accord will produce major progress before the US midterm elections in November.

Qatar, a key mediator in the conflict, remarked its foreign minister spoke with Pezeshkian on Friday concerning de-escalation and the conditions for renewed dialogue.

Taken together, the developments around iran says it awaits US response on seven point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.