Iran conveys Hormuz reopening conditions to US envoy Witkoff

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi conveyed Tehran's conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff via mediators on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. A senior Iranian official separately told Reuters Iran could reopen the strait within seven days if the US lifts its naval blockade on Iranian ports, releases frozen assets, and eases military pressure, with Tehran agreeing to return to negotiations in exchange.

Why this matters. A concrete Iranian timeline for reopening Hormuz gives US negotiators a specific trigger to test -- whether Washington eases the blockade -- that could shift oil shipping risk calculus within days rather than weeks.